Spier Wine Farm is proud to introduce its new flagship organic wine range, Farmer Angus.
This collection is the fruit of a shared journey between the farm’s award winning winemaking team and Angus McIntosh, a passionate champion of regenerative agriculture who not only calls Spier his home but is also renowned for his commitment to ethically farmed of meat, chicken, and pork.
Made exclusively from grapes grown in Spier’s certified organic vineyards, Farmer Angus wines represent an exciting extension of Spier and Angus’s commitment to regenerative practices.
A Meeting of Minds Rooted in Good Soil
At the heart of Farmer Angus wines lies a profound respect for the soil and its role in nurturing healthy vines and exceptional grapes. This philosophy is shared by Cellar Master Johan Jordaan and his winemaking team, who have a stellar track record of producing some of the country’s best wines. While organic wine is still a fledgling category within South Africa, Spier’s organic offerings have already received an impressive 42 industry accolades to date. Most notably, the First Stone Organic Red blend was awarded a Gold medal from the prestigious 2023 Concours Mondial de Bruxelles and a notable 4.5 stars in the 2023 Platter’s Wine Guide, cementing Spier’s position as a leader in the organic wine sector.
“Regenerative agriculture is my life’s work – I believe all health stems from the soil,” says Angus. “These organic wines are the delicious culmination of a long-term partnership with the Spier team to farm in true harmony with nature.”
Everything is Connected
What sets these wines apart is not only their quality but their truly holistic approach to farming. The grapes are organically farmed, and supported by biodynamic practices throughout the process. The grapes are grown without synthetic herbicides, fungicides, pesticides, or fertilisers. Instead, the team promotes soil vitality through composting and natural pest remedies. Farmer Angus extends this philosophy across the entire farm, implementing high-impact grazing with animals to maintain a balanced ecosystem.
“We view the farm as one living ecological system,” explains Johan. “The vines are just one part of this complex web of relationships between plants, animals and microbes in the soil. Our role is to work with nature’s rhythms, bit by bit, grape by grape and hand by hand.”
In the cellar, the grapes are naturally fermented with a light hand. “The cellar is a nursery for completing what began in the vineyards,” notes Organic Winemaker Tania Kleintjies.
The Farmer Angus range comprises three distinctive and limited-release wines:
- Farmer Angus Chenin Blanc | R595
Made from a heritage certified vineyard planted in 1984. A crisp, mineral-driven Chenin Blanc with a captivating nose of butterscotch and apricots, followed by a palate of citrus and caramel. This wine pairs perfectly with Farmer Angus’s prosciutto. - Farmer Angus Rosé | R495
A vibrant, refreshing Rosé showcasing strawberry and vanilla on the nose, with strawberry and coriander on the palate. Enjoy this wine alongside Farmer Angus’s Black Forest ham. - Farmer Angus Red Blend | R695
A classic Stellenbosch Red Blend boasting a nose of blackberry and chocolate, complemented by a palate of vanilla and blackcurrant. This wine is an ideal match for Farmer Angus’s grass-fed beef steak.
Nature’s Footprint
Befitting their handcrafted nature, Angus used the vine leaves he collected from the very vines that make these wines in the label design. “My mother taught me this leaf-rubbing art form as a boy,” he shares. “It connects the wines right back to their origins among the vines.”
Angus’s journey into the world of regenerative winemaking began after reading Nicolas Joly’s seminal book on biodynamic viticulture, ‘Wine from Earth to Sky’. In 2006, he resurrected an abandoned Chenin Blanc vineyard at Spier, mentored by Avice Hindmarch in biodynamic and permaculture techniques. Initially, Angus made what he describes as “questionable” wines. By 2014, he realised that this part was something best left to the experts, with Johan and Tania making the wines since then.
In 2009, Angus and colleague Orlando Filander spearheaded the holistic conversion of all Spier vineyards to organic and biodynamic practices, culminating in the farm’s first certified organic harvest in 2015. Spier was also the first in South Africa to adopt the Simonit & Sirch pruning method for prolonging healthy vine lifespan.
Farmer Angus wines and tastings are available from July directly from the Spier’s Tasting Room and restaurants, as well as on their online store.
The range reaffirms Spier’s longstanding commitment to crafting good wine, from good people grown in good soil.
