Globetrotting
winemaker comes full circle to join Fleur du Cap
Issued by GC Communications On behalf of Cape Legends
Combining his love for
travelling with wine, Wim Truter has journeyed the world in his pursuit for
winemaking excellence. Now he has returned to Fleur du Cap at Die Bergkelder
and is ready to apply his
knowledge and continue the tradition of making the next generation of Fleur du
Cap wines.
With his appointment
as Fleur du Cap red winemaker, Wim Truter has come full circle in his
winemaking career. It was at Die Bergkelder, that Wim completed his very first
vintage in 2003 as an aspirant winemaker in his final year of studies for his
BSC degree in Oenology and Viticulture at Stellenbosch University. Now, with
plenty experience and international training behind his name, Wim makes Fleur
du Cap red wines under the direction of cellarmaster Andrea Freeborough.
Fuelled with a passion
for travelling after his graduation, Wim who hails from the Strand, decided to
gain international experience in Australia where he worked for the renowned
producer, Hardy’s, in both McLaren Vale in South Australia and in Margaret
River in Western Australia. He also spent a harvest in a small Southern Rhône
cellar in France and another at Jordan Vineyard & Winery in Napa Valley,
California.
"I love
travelling and my bucket list is filled with a couple of winemaking
destinations I would still like to experience,” says Wim who dreams of harvesting in Germany and is very keen to experience
the vineyards of Georgia and Moldova.
At the end of 2005 he
settled in at Nederburg as assistant red winemaker, a position he held for two
years. In 2007 he was promoted to red winemaker and was sent by the winery to
France in mid 2009 to complete a Masters degree in the study of viticulture,
wine, terroir and marketing at the Groupe Ecole Supérieure d’Agriculture
(Groupe ESA) in Angers. Wim completed his thesis in South Africa, researching
the influence of viticulture and winemaking on wine style and quality. He
rejoined Nederburg as white winemaker in January 2012.
Cellarmaster Andrea
Freeborough says, "Wim's international experience in both large commercial
and small, independent wineries and commitment to producing the best of the
best, make him a superb fit with the award winning Fleur du Cap winemaking team
at Die Bergkelder. I am confident that Wim will find new ways to unlock the
full potential of the top quality grapes soured by our viticulturist, Bennie
Liebenberg, from vineyards throughout the Western Cape."
For more information
visit www.fleurducap.co.za, fleurducap.tumblr.com or join the Fleur
du Cap community Facebook or follow them on Twitter @FleurduCapWines.
