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Richard Kershaw Wines
RICHARD KERSHAW WINES
Richard Kershaw is a details man, fascinated by the minutiae and technicalities of winemaking. He takes a non-interventionist approach to craft wines that reflect a sense of place – and that place is Elgin, in the Overberg wine region of the Western Cape of South Africa. This is one of the country's coolest wine regions where high altitude vineyards, cooling winds from the Atlantic Ocean and diurnal temperature differences combine to make exemplary new world wines which, although quintessentially Elgin, are imbued with an old world character. Richard was born in Sheffield in the UK and, as he loved cooking and food, it is no surprise that he started off his career as a chef - which led him into the wine scene. Richard immersed himself in the world of wine, honing his skills in California, Chile, Bordeaux, Hungary and Germany, before arriving in South Africa in 1999. This is then where he put down his roots, becoming Group Winemaker at Mulderbosch and Kanu before founding Richard Kershaw wines in 2012. Being a self-confessed geeky wine enthusiast it was only natural that Richard should study to be a Master of Wine, passing his exams in 2011. He is one of only a miniscule number who actually make their own wine, and the only one to make it in South Africa!
Richard specialises in high quality French clones of Chardonnay, Syrah and Pinot Noir to make an impressive range of cool-climate wines, including the Clonal Selection - which are site-specific, clonal selected wines, and the Deconstructed Range which are made from a specific vineyard and an individual clone. The intriguingly named Smuggler's Boot range derives from the time when South Africa was restricted by trade embargoes and vines were smuggled into the country hidden in Wellington boots! The GPS Series are produced from exceptional parcels of vines that the ever curious Richard is fascinated by outside the Elgin region.
The range is small but the demand is high, and the passionate Richard Kershaw demonstrates that a cool climate can produce world class wines. The clone, the site, the soil – it's all in the detail!