44 Stanley Precinct in Milpark, Johannesburg has always been an eclectic place to visit, boasting a bustling restaurant collective, art studios and clothing boutiques spread across a series of pretty interlinked courtyards that you cannot find anywhere else in the city.
So when Trizanne Barnard decided to introduce her new signature range and TSW wines, she kicked off her Joburg tour at the new local favourite eatery ICI Café at Voisin Bread & Wine over a cozy and intimate dinner.
About Trizanne Barnard
An adventurous surfer, a mom, and a seasoned winemaker, Trizanne has come a long way since establishing her own brand Trizanne Signature Wines (TSW) in 2012 and is still only one of a handful of female-owned successful wine brands in the country.
Having grown up in Vereeniging, an industrial town in the Vaal Triangle, nowhere near the glamourous wine estates of the Cape, Trizanne has always had an affinity for the unknown and was always seeking and daring. Life and experience are the best teachers, so after finishing high school, she travelled the world. She adds “My first experience of agri-processing was working in my gap years at a kibbutz Hazorea and Golan Heights. Then another year of working in London in silver service as a waitress where I started to taste fine wines and my interest was piqued.”
She studied the Bachelor of Science degree in Viticulture and Oenology at the University of Stellenbosch, graduating in 2002. After graduating, she went overseas to work multiple vintages in Australia, France and Portugal. After working abroad for a few years, she returned home and worked with Klein Constantia’s winemaking team for five years, alongside Adam Mason. She started the Anwilka winery for them and managed the operation for 4 years. This experience boosted her confidence as a winemaker to the point of going solo.
“I’ve always known that I would need to work for myself if I wanted flexibility to work around a family, to manage my own time and to make the wine I like to drink. The four invaluable years at Anwilka and my international experience gave me the confidence to start my own brand, and in 2008 I went solo.”
Trizanne Signature Wines
Trizanne takes an adventurous and often daring approach to winemaking regarding her label Trizanne Signature Wines, which is certainly an extension of her life philosophy to “embrace the unknown”. True to her philosophy, she took an unconventional perspective as she decided on Elim near Cape Agulhas and the Swartland near the West Coast to produce her wines.
“Diversity is the cornerstone on which I build my winemaking philosophy,” she says. This search for unique and new perspectives extends to the sourcing of her grapes.
“I’m always looking for freshness, uniqueness and contrast, which I have found in the cooler temperature vineyards of Elim for Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon contrasted with the concentrated reds of the drier Swartland. By sourcing and selecting vineyard parcels from each of these areas, and pairing them with the most suitable varieties, I have produced wines that embody the best of these unique and diverse regions.”
New additions to the portfolio
The absolute highlights of the evening were the new additions to the wine portfolio, namely the Onderduivenshokrivier Chardonnay 2020 alongside the ever impressive Sondagskloof White 2020, from the Origin Range. Not to be outshined, the Reserve Syrah 2019 made a bold and undeniable statement.
Onderduivenshokrivier Chardonnay 2020
A superbly elegant Chardonnay, layered with citrus and apple notes with a steely minerality creating that perfect tension in the wine. Grapes were sourced from the incredible ward of Lower Duivenshok River - situated between Riversdale, Vermaaklikheid and Heidelberg - within the Cape South Coast region. Limestone soils, cool mean ripening temperatures and only 10km from the ocean. Only 1200 bottles produced.
Sondagskloof White 2020
“Skin contact on Sauvignon is quite unusual and a calculated risk especially from a cool climate area” she adds. 50% of grapes were fermented on skins in an open top fermenter. The other 50% was whole bunched pressed and fermented in older French oak. Both parcels were blended together after 6 months in oak. Only 1360 bottles produced.
Reserve Syrah 2019
“Cool climate Syrah at its best,” she states. Harvested from the lovely vineyards of Elim on soils varying from shale, gravel and Ferricrete also known as Koffieklip, minimal intervention throughout the winemaking process created a beautiful medium-bodied red. A sublime example of cool-climate Syrah and a great counterpoint to the more commonly found warm-climate Syrah in South Africa.
Currently living with her husband Malan and two sons in Kommetjie on the Southern Peninsula, she makes her premium wine range just down the road in Noordhoek. She sees having one’s own business as the ultimate challenge: “Driving your own business is a calculated risk, but it’s such an adventure, ‘cause you don’t know what tomorrow brings.” In her free time, Trizanne enjoys surfing, reading, running, swimming and cycling.
A great lesson on Elim and Swartland viticulture on the night, over a homestead buffet style feast that was served up by the chefs at ICI Café. Relaxed, charming and casual dining over a long dinner table. A great evening!
The name “ici” means “here” in French and the café is inspired by Afro-French tastes. Patrons can look forward to great wines, delicious classic French deli dishes like croque-monsieur and homemade pastries, as well as a daily rotating selection of comforting, easy-eating lunch dishes ranging from soups and salad to rice dishes. Events are also in the pipeline with the cafe debuting live music at the August/September edition of First Thursdays at 44 Stanley, and salon evenings involving poetry and dialogue are also in the works.
Full selection of TSW ranges
Trizanne’s current range of wines include the following:
Origin range
- Onderduivenshokrivier Chardonnay 2020
- Sondagkloof White 2020
- Sondagkloof Syrah 2018
The Reserve range
Trizanne Signature Wines has released a pair of wines under the Reserve label for the first time since the 2009 maiden vintage.
- Reserve Semillon Sauvignon Blanc 2019
- Reserve Syrah 2019
The TSW range
The Sauvignon Blanc grapes are sourced from the Cape South Coast, where prevailing winds provide a cool ripening season. The Syrah and Cinsault are sourced from the Swartland.
- TSW Sauvignon Blanc 2021
- TSW Syrah 2021
- TSW Cinsault 2021