THEIR STORY:
Restless River is a small family run wine estate owned by Craig and Anne Wessels in the Upper Hemel en Aarde Valley. They bought the 20 ha farm in 2004 which came with Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon vines. Craig decided that his first vintage would be Cabernet Sauvignon despite being advised against it. Craig took up the challenge and has not looked back – his Main Road & Dignity Cabernet Sauvignon has received international acclaim and their focus on Cabernet Sauvignon sets them apart from the other producers in the area. The Restless River label was launched in 2012 and since then they have caused much excitement in the wine world with their unique and elegant wines. Some say they have created a cult following.
LOCATION:
Situated in the Upper Hemel en Aarde Valley with its decomposed granite soil and cool maritime climate. The wines produced are single varietal Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. Craig’s core focus is in the vineyards, he is non-interventionist and traditional in the cellar but very active in the vineyards. Each wine is named after the vineyard.
TEAM:
This formidable husband and wife team run the business together with Craig dealing with the farming and winemaking and Anne overseeing the business side of things. Craig’s approach to winemaking is to use his intuition, sense of taste and make wines that he likes to drink.