I’ve lived here my entire life, growing up as a real farm boy and left to my own devices most of the time, which included running around and exploring the farm. Some say nothing has changed.
The Backs
The Back’s have always been farming folk – my grandfather came from Lithuania with a passion for farming, buying Fairview in 1937. It was always part of our upbringing – the love of the land, the love of the people that work the land and the love of making products from the land. It’s part of my DNA. Sometimes I think Shiraz flows through my veins.
Doing Things Differently
When I joined my father, Cyril, at the Fairview Wine Company in 1978, I was eager to do things a little differently. My first port of call was introducing Mediterranean grapes to the farm, planting the mother blocks of Viognier, Tempranillo and Petite Sirah in the Cape. I’ve been an advocate of these varieties all my winemaking life, but it is perhaps now, in our drought-ridden winelands, that these Mediterranean vines really have a chance to shine. Thriving in hot and dry conditions and enjoying extreme temperatures and poor soils, plantings like Grenache offer a huge advantage for local winemakers. We’re also so fortunate to have a great collection of old dryland vines, providing fruit of unparalleled structure, concentrated flavours and aromas worthy of conservation. While we’ve worked with these styles of vines for decades, it is refreshing to see a new wave of interest taking over the Cape.
Pushing the Boundaries
In between all my experimentation, I’ve been fortunate enough to assemble quite a considerable collection of different varieties that our winemakers can play with, allowing us to cover a gamut of styles and price points – from crowd pleasers and food friendly options to age worthy reds. But as much as we might push the boundaries, my philosophy has been steadfast. I have always been involved in every step of the process, and am proud to be able to say that today, we are one of the few farms that own all our own vineyards, ensuring that we oversee the entire value chain.
The Simplest Things
After all, quality doesn’t have to be complicated. In my opinion, authenticity is the new luxury. In fact, the simplest things are the most difficult ones to make. The bottom line is that everything I do is about adding value to basic agricultural products for my customers, and I promise to never deviate from that course.
