On the evening of 24 August 1982, a small group of Cape winemakers gathered at the home of Billy Hofmeyr, on his Klapmuts wine farm Welgemeend between Paarl and Stellenbosch, to officially found the 'Cape Independent Winemakers Guild'.
1982-1992
The name reflected their raison d'etre, a ‘guild' being the age-old and time-honoured concept of an association formed by merchants or craftsmen to maintain standards of quality in production and provide mutual support.
It also illustrated their intent to represent the then few 'independent' winemakers in South Africa, as opposed to the many employed by grape grower-owned co-operatives and corporate producing wholesalers.
It was a time when the latter, directly or indirectly invested with statutory regulatory powers, dominated the industry; when the Cape Winelands was producing large volumes of predominantly white wine of mediocre quality; when economic sanctions against an undemocratic South Africa curtailed international travel, trade and competition, integral to growth and development.
This 'independent' group was made up of individuals who (whether or not they owned their vineyard and cellar) had all-round, hands-on responsibility and control over their wine production: which varieties they grew; how their vineyards were managed; what wine they made; how they made it marketed it and sold it.
Operating in an environment that stifled progress, ambition, enthusiasm and creativity, they were keen to explore what could be achieved to improve the quality and develop a classicism and uniqueness in style of, not only their own wines, but Cape wine in general, through the introduction of new varieties and winemaking methods.
Learn more about the First Decade of Cellarmasters and their delicious recipes featuring wines that played an important part in their lives.
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