Brother and sister team, Abrie and Jeanette Bruwer of Springfield Estate are the complete opposite of your typical university-trained winemakers. The Bruwers choose to take the path less travelled and go against the grain in order to make the sort of wines they want to drink. As Abrie says: ‘I only want to sell wine I am proud of and I will only get a limited number of chances to do that in my life.’
The Estate has been run by the Bruwer family for generations. The current brother-sister winemaking team are descendants of the Brueres, Frenchmen who came to South Africa from the Loire Valley armed only with vines in the 1600s. Today the Springfield approach involves sustainable viticulture, wild yeasts, long fermentations and a stubborn (but justified) belief that the rocky, unforgiving soils of Robertson are perfect for producing outstanding Cabernet Sauvignon. Long may Abrie and Jeanette continue!
