About
After graduating from Stellenbosch University with a BSc in Viticulture and Oenology, I worked multiple vintages in Australia, France, and Portugal. I then returned to my homeland and joined the winemaking team at Klein Constantia. In 2004, I was offered the opportunity to start Anwilka Wines with Klein Constantia role-players and Bordeaux winemakers. The four invaluable years at Anwilka, along with my international experience, gave me the confidence to start my brand, and in 2008, Trizanne Signature Wines was born. Since my first vintage, I have been intrigued by two diverse South African wine areas: the Cape South Coast and the Swartland. Since then, I have expanded my wine portfolio, specifically focussing on my affinity for the cooler climates of South Africa’s wine regions.
Besides being a winemaker and a mom of two incredible boys—who bring me joy beyond words—I am also an avid surfer and yogi. Residing in Kommetjie, a quaint village on the Southern Peninsula, I am incredibly grateful to be just a stone’s throw away from the beach and breathtaking waves. Being in the ocean recharges me and teaches me patience and respect.
My direction and success come from belief and endurance. Creating a brand and establishing a business is rarely a solo endeavour, and TSW is no different. Key role players behind the scenes—my family, friends, and work team—have helped shape Trizanne Signature Wines into what it is today. The incredible support I have received throughout the years humbles me.
THE WINE REGIONS
Cape South Coast Wine Region:
At the southernmost tip of Africa, where the Atlantic and Indian Oceans meet, lies the ‘Cape of Storms’, better known as L’Agulhas (Cape Agulhas). The weather that boils up here over the cold Atlantic to meet its warm Indian counterpart can be savage, with many a sailor’s voyage ending fatally on the shallow reefs. To guide sailors away from disaster, the iconic red and white lighthouse was built in 1848 and stands to this day.
This treacherous weather, however, hasn’t deterred those seeking to cultivate the land for rare finds. It is here on the Cape Southern Coast, the cooler-climate wine region of South Africa, where these hidden gems lie from which I source my fruit. Diversity is the foundation of my winemaking philosophy. I get to explore this multiplicity through working with a range of unique pockets within the areas of Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, Overberg, Sunday’s Glen, Elim, and Lower Duivenhoks River, where I can create wines expressing the unique terroir and my creative nature.
Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge / Overberg
The picturesque Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, known for its incredible views that could be described as ‘heavenly,’ tapers into the Ridge as one heads inland towards Caledon from the coast. Situated in the Overberg wine region, the Ridge is characterised by various soil types, including shale, sandstone, and clay, which contribute unique characteristics to the wines produced here. The cool maritime climate, influenced by the nearby ocean approximately 10 km away, also plays a significant role in shaping the flavours and aromas of the wines. It is here that I source my Pinot Noir. This area is particularly known for its exceptional Pinot Noir quality.
Sondagskloof
The name “Sondagskloof” translates to “Sunday’s Ravine,” a valley known for its pristine rivers, rolling hills, and lush greenery. This valley’s rich biodiversity is home to various plant species, including fynbos, renosterveld, and indigenous forests. Moreover, the area is largely untouched, with only two working farms located within this ward, which promotes the sustainability of this incredible ward. The Sauvignon Blanc vineyards are south-facing and elevated, ideal for fruit concentration.
The Sondagskloof White has become one of my favourite wines over the years due to the combination of unique terroir and atypical winemaking. As a partly skin-contact wine fermented in open-top vessels and French oak, this Sauvignon Blanc expresses flavourful intensity with layers of incredible texture and racing acidity.
Elim
The Elim ward boasts a unique terroir, characterised by prevailing winds that create a cool ripening season, ideal for producing Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and cool-climate Syrah grapes. This diverse terroir features soils ranging from sandstone to cold laterite and broken shale, resulting in low yields and wines that exhibit pronounced minerality, depth, and structure. As part of the Cape Floral Kingdom, Elim is an environmentally sensitive area where wine production harmonises with the preservation of indigenous species.
Benede-Duivenshokrivier
Heading 111 km northeast as the crow flies from L’Agulhas lies a petite district. Deriving its name from the Duiwenhoks River, this scenic district is found between Heidelberg, Riversdale, and Vermaaklikheid on the Cape South Coast. Its attractions include the beautiful winding river debouching into the ocean, where age-old tales of shipwrecks and treacherous seas originated, the earliest known prehistoric art in all of Africa found carved into the limestone cliffs of the Blombos Caves, and, of course, the sublime fruit for winemaking. Its secret of distinctiveness lies in the limestone soils. It creates an alkaline environment, culminating in a steely minerality and beautiful saline thread in the Chardonnay. Together with the incredible soils, the cool mean ripening temperatures, and dryer mean rainfall, this vineyard produces exceptional quality.
COASTAL WINE REGION:
Swartland
While most of my grape sourcing has shifted to the Cape South Coast, I still source from two specific pockets in the Swartland, which have been part of my portfolio since the start. In Swartland, summers are characterised by hot and dry conditions, while winters are cold and wet. Viticulture in this area predominantly relies on dry-land farming. This, combined with the Mediterranean climate and disease-free conditions, is perfect for cultivating Syrah and Cinsault grapes, resulting in small but intensely flavoured berries and low yields. Additionally, this region is also rich in its diverse soil types, including granite, shale, clay, and slate, contributing to the significant structure and complexity of the wines.
