Ep 139: Mini Series – South African Wine: Minimal Intervention & Bot River with Winemaker Alice Verburg of Luddite Winery (Part 3)

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This is the third part of my mini series on wineries in South Africa. Today's episode is with Winemaker Alice Verburg from Luddite Winery, based in Bot River. They are very much about hands off and minimal intervention, and the most interesting and fun family, who do not take themselves too seriously. The focus on today’s podcast will be minimal intervention, understanding the Bot River and of course tasting and talking about their very limited bottlings of Shiraz and Chenin Blanc.

If you want to skip ahead:

1.40: Why is the winery called Luddite

3.31: What got Alice in winemaking

4.58: The best winery in the Nothern Hemisphere that Alice has worked at and why

5.58: Alice’s Dad, Niels, who started the Luddite winery, and what she has learnt from him

7.42: And what Alice brings to the winery and winemaking

8.44: The best part of winemaking in the cellar

11.07: The best part of being a small winery and the advantages of being in Bot River

12.16: The hand written labels

14.05: The ethos of Luddite

17.42: Describing the Bot River and what makes it special as a wine region

21.18: The shiraz ‘peppercorn’ berries

21.52: Examples of minimal intervention at Luddite

25.20: Dealing with pests and diseases out in the vineyards when organic farming

27.13: Adding amphora pebbles into barrels

30.17: Tasting and talking about the Luddite Chenin Blanc 2021 Buon Vino £44 (2020)

34.46: Tasting and talking about the Luddite Shiraz 2018 Buon Vino £49 (2017)

41.16: Happy accidents in the winery = Cool by the Pool wine – a great story!

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Until next time, Cheers to you!