Grande Provence in Franschhoek, has appointed Hagen Viljoen to head up its winemaking team, taking over from Matthew van Heerden who has left to pursue his own wine interests.
A graduate in viticulture and oenology at the University of Stellenbosch, Mr Viljoen has over 12 years in local and international cellars, having travelled extensively to gain international knowledge in winemaking.
He completed internships in Mendocino in Amercia, Marlborough in New Zealand, Barossa in Australia and St Emilion in France before returning to South Africa.
He made wine locally at Vergelegen, Zevenwacht and most recently was head winemaker Solms-Delta for the past five years.
“I have been fortunate to work with some outstanding parcels of fruit sourced across the Cape winelands and welcome the new challenges at Grande Provence,” says Mr Viljoen, who has a great passion for the northern Rhone and loves wines of purity and elegance.
“I am excited about the potential in the Grande Provence wine range and look forward to exploring its further development with the team,” he adds.
“For me balance is a key element in any great wine and I believe in translating the potential found in the vineyard in a manner that respects the fruit and reflects the character of its origin,” Mr Viljoen says.
