OnTap Magazine

THE OUTENIQUA REGION IS PERHAPS BEST KNOWN TO YOU FOR ITS HOPS, BUT PERCHED ATOP THE MONTAGU PASS YOU’LL ALSO FIND A BOUTIQUE WINERY. MIKE SIMPSON GOES OFF THE BEATEN TRACK IN SEARCH OF A GLASS OF PINOT. In South Africa we’re used to our vineyards being set in rolling countryside with scenic valleys and perhaps a mountain or two rising hazily in the distance. Difficult-to-access wineries found amidst rugged and isolated peaks are a lot less commonplace. But that’s where you’ll find Herold Wines; nestled high up on the historic Montagu Pass as you climb out of the town of George and head through the Outeniqua Mountains towards Little Karoo communities like Oudtshoorn and Uniondale. The pass is a delight, although it’s not for the casual Sunday afternoon wine-sipper. The road is narrow, winding and rough, with sheer drop-offs into the valleys far below. Yes, there’s a low stone wall, but it barely seems adequate when you’re pushed up against it, trying to allow an oncoming 4x4 to squeeze past. Named for John Montagu, a one-time Colonial Secretary of the Cape, the pass was constructed in the 1840s as the main road between the Garden Route coastal plain and the interior. Even today you’ll discover well-weathered landmarks such as the Old Toll House, where passing wagons paid a toll of two pence per wheel and one penny for each pulling animal. But we’re here for more than just the history and the marvellous views; we’ve come to visit Nico Fourie and his splendidly isolated Herold Wines which sits at the top of the pass, surrounded by nature reserve and stands of fynbos. It’s small by South African standards, covering just 8.5 hectares and producing 35 tonnes of grapes a year. Indeed, even Nico seems a little surprised at how things have turned out. He arrived in these cold and rainy mountains intending to set himself up as a cattle farmer, but fell into wine- making instead. Nearly six years later he has used his self-taught skills to turn the farm into a successful supplier to Garden Route hotels, restaurants, online buyers and the passing trade. “I bought the farm with zero knowledge of wine. I didn’t even have a love for it,” Nico recalls. “The winery that was here had closed and the place was on the market. My expertise is in animal production and I saw potential in that. But now wine is my passion; I love it through and through.” AGAINST THE GRAIN 22 / On Tap / Autumn 2018