Estate Living Digital Publication Issue 9 September 2015 | Page 9

The majority of South Africans choose not to drink
wine, partly as a result of minimal exposure in
comparison with cheaper alcoholic alternatives
like brandy and beer, as well as the ready-to-drink
category.
Devil’s Peak Brewery is trying to turn that around
with their Vin de Saison. Fundamentally a beer, the
Cape Town-based brewery uses approximately 20%
of Swartland Chenin Blanc grapes from Mullineux
family wines, the most widely grown wine grape
variety in South Africa, to create a super-fresh
aroma with a lovely crisp grape-derived acidity.

“Hybrid wines are a rather open category, but
essentially translates to grape juice, known as must,
or even whole grapes being incorporated during the
brewing process,” explains head brewer JC Steyn,
who has been winemaking for almost ten years. He
began with a Vannie Hout before moving on to the
Vin de Saison, which he likes to dub the champagne
of the beer world and whilst not a best-seller yet,
it definitely is a positive step in the right direction.
Wine also needs to be repositioned as a sexy and
sophisticated drink suitable for all. Wineries need to
stop making wine for anyone with enough money to