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SOUTH AFRICA<br />
TERROIR<br />
with minimal disease pressure, resulting in healthy<br />
vineyards and exceptional grape quality.<br />
“We pride ourselves on consistent quality, maintaining<br />
organic and Fairtrade accreditation. Our ethos<br />
is to care for the environment as much as we care for<br />
our people, doing so sustainably,” adds Johan.<br />
Reflecting on their journey, the team at Org de Rac<br />
acknowledges the importance of learning from past<br />
experiences.<br />
“We learned how to do things and not to do things,”<br />
and this iterative approach has led to innovative<br />
wines consistent with market curiosity. Their<br />
commitment to organic farming is evident in<br />
ongoing projects like their earthworm farm and<br />
improved composting practices to overcome<br />
challenges while preserving character and quality.<br />
“Organic farming will always come with challenges,<br />
but we continue to learn and adapt, prioritising<br />
sustainability without compromising on quality,”<br />
concludes Johan.<br />
THOR VINTNERS FOCUS ON SMALL-BATCH ARTISANAL WINES<br />
INSPIRED BY ULTRA-PREMIUM RHÔNE BLENDS, ONLY BRINGING<br />
THEM HOME TO THIS UNIQUE CORNER OF THE WORLD<br />
EMILE GENTIS:<br />
THE WINEMAKER-JEWELLER<br />
OF SWARTLAND BLENDS<br />
Emile Gentis, driven by a firm belief in the power<br />
of tenacity, founded Thor Vintners with a focus on<br />
crafting small-batch artisanal wines through the art<br />
of blending.<br />
The Gentis Badlands Shiraz 2022 (93) and the Gentis<br />
The Phoenix Petite Sirah (92) excelled in Gilbert &<br />
Gaillard’s tasting of Swartland wines, following the<br />
brand’s inclusion in the Swartland wine route since<br />
January 2024.<br />
“My expertise lies in blending, a skill honed over<br />
years of sourcing and combining components<br />
from across the winelands to create unique blends<br />
tailored to buyers and overseas markets. Blending is<br />
an art form, a means to strike the perfect balance,<br />
even with vintages that require a creative touch.”<br />
Under the Gentis family name, all wines are crafted<br />
from Swartland grapes. The Phoenix, sourced<br />
from bush vines near Malmesbury, offers a bold<br />
and complex flavour profile, while the rebellious<br />
Badlands challenges convention.<br />
UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THOR VINTNERS, THE PHOENIX, BADLANDS & WIND<br />
SONG BRANDS CELEBRATE WINE OF ORIGIN SWARTLAND<br />
SPRING 2024 • GILBERT & GAILLARD - THE FRENCH EXPERTS ON WINE<br />
47
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