Alicia Rechner is the head winemaker at Backsberg Family Wines in Franschhoek. She graduated with a winemaking degree from Stellenbosch University in 1997. After working as a winemaker in Europe and Australia for four years, she started making wine in 2002. She has been working at Backsberg Family Wines as their head winemaker for over ten years. She notes that every harvest is special and describes herself as a "natural winemaker".
This Women's Month, get to know the woman behind Backsberg Family Wines.
When did you first become interested in becoming a winemaker?
During the second half of my first year in university.
What is your favourite food and wine pairing?
I love a good chicken wrap with a crisp Sauvignon Blanc. If I’m ever asked to choose my “last meal,” that would be it – without hesitation.
Which is your favourite variety to work with and why?
I love working with Merlot. I’m drawn to its rich, plummy fruit flavours and those beautiful berry-like fermentation aromas. But what I enjoy most are the little surprises that come with working with it. Merlot berries have two seeds, and I’m always on the lookout for them as they settle to the bottom of the tank, making sure they’re removed before pressing day. There’s something about Merlot that always keeps me curious and on my toes, and I think that’s what makes working with it so special.
Your favourite Backsberg wine?
The Backsberg John Martin Red Bordeaux Blend is by far the most interesting wine for me to work with, as I get to work with all five Bordeaux varietals and then bring them together in the final blend. The Backsberg Pumphouse Shiraz and Smuggled Vines Chardonnay are also firm favourites. All three come from very stable vineyards that I know well, so receiving fruit from them year after year gives me a solid and familiar foundation to work from.
These are my favourite wines to make and my favourite wines to drink: the Backsberg Sauvignon Blanc (with my chicken wraps) and the Backsberg Merlot (with lamb chops or Loxton sheep pie).
If you are not in the cellar, where would you most likely be? Any interesting hobbies?
I make natural cosmetics and have half of my garage set up as a little space for my hobby. I spend most Saturday mornings in there, making and experimenting.
When I’m not in the garage, I enjoy walking in the Paarl Mountains, watching real-life crime on YouTube, or reading about cellular biology and the latest health claims. I’m especially fascinated by understanding how different things affect our health, from the ingredients in the cosmetics we use to the food we eat.
What has surprised you about being a winemaker?
Everything about becoming a winemaker has surprised me. I was good at science and maths at school and knew only that I wanted to work in agriculture. I was completely clueless about wine, wineries and vineyards, and, if I’m honest, not much less clueless about agriculture itself! The university aptitude tests suggested I was suited to a B.Sc., so I started studying without really knowing where it would lead me... I’m still surprised by the job, and I think that sense of discovery is probably what has kept me so content doing it for the past 29 years.
What is the biggest misconception people have about what a winemaker does?
I’m still trying to convince people that I don’t spend my days sitting with a glass of wine in my hand, gazing out over vine-wrapped mountains. Whenever I try to explain that winemaking can be a harsh and physically demanding environment, I’m usually met with a smirk of disbelief.
One of my favourite misconceptions is that I have automated cellar equipment and can essentially make wine remotely!
I’ve never been one to burst someone’s bubble on purpose, so I tend to let them believe it and have a bit of fun with the misconceptions. There are far too many to fit into a single article.
What have you completely changed your mind about during your winemaking career?
I used to describe myself as a technical winemaker, but today I would call myself more of a natural winemaker. I think that shift comes with age, experience and knowledge – the understanding that sometimes the best thing you can do is not interfere. Knowing when to step in, and when to simply let the wine do what it needs to do, is something I’ve learned over time.
After all these years, what has winemaking taught you about people?
That people want to be entertained.