Tim, who joined TOKARA in 2018, earned his nomination in the competition, which focuses on white wines this year, for the just released TOKARA Sauvignon Blanc 2019. “Tim’s role at TOKARA is a crucial one. He supports our winemaker in crafting the very best wines from our vineyards. We couldn’t be prouder of his achievement,” says TOKARA GM Karl Lambour.
The opportunity of working at TOKARA alongside accomplished winemaker Stuart Botha is a major draw card for Tim: “The use of high technology vineyard management sophisticated winemaking techniques and the family culture at TOKARA drew me to the position and I could not have wished for a better starting point for my career in the South African wine industry.”
An Elsenburg graduate in Viticulture and Oenology, Tim’s winemaking experience before joining TOKARA included stints at Ceberberg Wines and Spier as well as a harvest in Northern Rhone.
“One of the reasons I started making wine is because wine has no boundaries, it brings people together and invites them to share in its art,” adds Tim. The vibrant TOKARA Sauvignon Blanc 2019 is a blend of fruit from prime TOKARA vineyards in Stellenbosch and Elgin representing an intriguing spectrum of the Sauvignon Blanc flavour profile.
Heady notes of passion fruit and guava meld with cooler nuances of lemongrass and green melon. Hints of oyster shell salinity lend extra appeal.
The 2019 Young Winemaker of the Year will be announced at a gala event in Franschhoek on Saturday, 23 November.