Thursday, 17 August, 2023
Institute of Cape Wine Masters
At the annual ICWM black-tie dinner held at Creation Wines in the Hemel-and-Aarde Valley on Saturday, 12 August, the name of the winner of the Wine Personality of the Year award was announced.
Pieter ‘Bubbles’ Ferreira, chief operating officer and visionary winemaker at Graham Beck Wines, was designated as the 2023 Wine Personality of the Year.
As the long-serving chairman of the Cap Classique Producers’ Association founded in 1992, Ferreira has been the driving force behind the rise of Cap Classique as a legitimate bottle-fermented sparkling wine style in its own right.
Ferreira has petitioned for the foundation of a quality charter and detailed indicators to protect the quality and reputation of the class and this has led to ongoing research and experimental projects in pursuit of its advancement.
Ferreira first crafted the maiden vintage of his Cap Classique 32 years ago and positioned Graham Beck as a world leader in the production of premium Cap Classique which was affirmed by international critical acclaim, awards, and special honours.
Ferreira actively champions Cap Classique globally and, in association with the Cape Wine Academy, the recently launched Cap Classique Academy has further inspired the trade and consumers through education. He generously shares his experience and skills by consulting and advising fellow members and producers.
He was the Diner’s Club Winemaker of the Year 2004 in the Cap Classique category.