Restless River joins Liberty Wines
South African winery Restless River has become the latest member of the c being renowned for its cool climate varietals.
According to Liberty Wines: “Owner and self-taught winemaker Craig Wessels and his wife Anne purchased a run-down farm in 2004, which by chance was also home to the Hemel-en-Aarde’s oldest remaining Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon vines, planted in 1998. Farming these vines became a serious passion and the Restless River wines were launched in 2012, followed by their first plantings of Pinot Noir in 2013.”
Widely recognised as the Pinot Noir capital of South Africa, the valley greatly benefits from the maritime influences of the South Atlantic Ocean, accentuated by high elevation and concomitant diurnal temperature variation.
“This marginal climate, combined with the rare ancient soils of decomposed granite over deep clay, is perfectly suited to the creation of elegant, textured and complex wines with a distinctive sense of place,” said a Liberty Wines representative.
“Craig continues to fine-tune an organic approach in the vineyard, while site expression and authenticity are his guiding principles in the winery. The estate-grown grapes are fermented using indigenous yeasts and extended bottle ageing prior to release is further indication of his unwavering commitment to quality.”
Tom Platt, CEO of Liberty Wines, commented: “Craig and Anne Wessels’ tireless dedication to innovating and developing their estate over the last 20 years has resulted in world-class wines and we are thrilled to welcome them to our thriving South Africa portfolio.
“Restless River not only enhances our offering from the exciting and much sought after Hemel-en-Aarde appellation, alongside the exceptional Crystallum wines from Peter-Allan Finlayson, but also joins Mullineux, Leeu Passant, Thorne & Daughters, Momento, Gabriëlskloof, Fairview, Spice Route and recent addition Paulus Wine Co. in showcasing the outstanding quality, diversity and value available across the Cape winelands.”
Wessels added: “We would like to thank Robin Davis, Damon Quinlan and all the team at Swig for the great work they have done over the past decade. We look forward to building on this in partnership with Liberty Wines and are excited to be joining their portfolio in the UK and Ireland.”
Keywords:
- Pinot Noir
- Chardonnay
- cool climate
- South African winery Restless River
- Liberty Wines family
- Hemel-en-Aarde Valley producer
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56-58 Church Walk, Burgess Hill, West Sussex, RH15 9AN
Registered in England No. 6646125. VAT No. 938 4452 95
