Quando Sauvignon Blanc

Fanus and Martin Bruwer are 6th generation farmers in Robertson with a 190 hectare farm on the banks of the Breede River. They grow artichokes and citrus alongside 8 hectares of organically orientated Sauvignon Blanc on the same ancient dry stone riverbed soils. Until 2000, these grapes were delivered to one of the local co-ops. Fanus answered friends who repeatedly asked ‘when are you going to make your own wine’ by naming the winery Quando. The first two releases were only ever sold domestically, but with the excellent 2003 vintage and increased confidence, the two brothers were ready to look at entering the export markets. For the first few years, Quando Sauvignon Blanc was the only wine produced on the farm, although they quickly established a small block of Mourvèdre (which now delivers a small volume of a delicious dry Rosé). There is a Chenin/Viognier blend too. The former coming from a parcel of ancient vines planted by their grandfather. Still literally made in a garage on the farm using olive oil grade plastic tanks and an old wooden wine press, it shows what a little ingenuity can achieve. The production of the Sauvignon has now levelled out at around 3,000 cases a year. More recently, a Pinot Noir has been introduced into the range, and comes from vines grown above the town of Ashton, a few kilometres away on the opposite side of the Robertson Valley.