Meet the Characters
Koos Grenache
The Maverick Winemaker from the Swartland
Koos is all instinct and dirt under the fingernails — the guy who’d rather trust wild yeast than lab results. He stomps grapes barefoot, argues with professors, and believes wine should taste like where it’s from, not where it was “designed.”
Featured posts:
- Do You Need a Cellar and Vineyard to Make Great Wine?
- Let the Juice Decide: A Chat About Fermenters
- The Making of Two South African Favourites: Chardonnay
- The making of Two South African Favourites: Sauvignon Blanc
- Ripeness, bunches and bold decisions
- Wine of Origin — From the Western Cape to a Single Vineyard
- Rosé: Blush, Banter, and a Bottle of Sunshine
- Crossing the Rubicon: The Story of Bordeaux-Style Red Blends
- Rhône Blends: From the Rhône to the Swartland
- Champagne & Cap Classique — Bubbles With a Story
- Pinot Noir — The Heartbreak Grape with a Sense of Drama
Professor Octavius Pinot
The Scholarly Sage from Stellenbosch
Octavius blends encyclopedic wine knowledge with old‑school manners and a soft spot for French oak. He’ll quote Bordeaux classifications mid‑sip but secretly loves a Swartland Chenin when Koos isn’t looking.
Featured posts:
- Do You Need a Cellar and Vineyard to Make Great Wine?
- The Making of Two South African Favourites: Chardonnay
- Let the Juice Decide: A Chat About Fermenters
- The making of Two South African Favourites: Sauvignon Blanc
- Ripeness, bunches and bold decisions
- The Chardonnay Caper
- Wine of Origin — From the Western Cape to a Single Vineyard
- Rosé: Blush, Banter, and a Bottle of Sunshine
- Crossing the Rubicon: The Story of Bordeaux-Style Red Blends
- Rhône Blends: From the Rhône to the Swartland
- Champagne & Cap Classique — Bubbles With a Story
- Pinot Noir — The Heartbreak Grape with a Sense of Drama
Isabella Rioja
The Gypsy Scientist with a European Passport
Raised among Rioja barrels and now roaming between Priorat, Bordeaux, and Tuscany, Isabella is fiery, fearless, and ruthlessly curious. She lives for red blends, believes in terroir with attitude, and challenges Koos and Octavius on every pour.
Featured posts:
- The Gypsy scientist of the cellar
- Wine of Origin — From the Western Cape to a Single Vineyard
- Rosé: Blush, Banter, and a Bottle of Sunshine
- Crossing the Rubicon: The Story of Bordeaux-Style Red Blends
- Rhône Blends: From the Rhône to the Swartland
- Champagne & Cap Classique — Bubbles With a Story
- Pinot Noir — The Heartbreak Grape with a Sense of Drama
About Uncorked and Curious 