After more than three decades as Simonsig cellarmaster, Johan remains known as one of the most versatile winemakers in South Africa, managing over 2 000 tons of grapes and maing wine for a host of clients, including long-time buyer Woolworths.
This, plus his trademark calm, capable and collaborative approach to winemaking, has seen much young talent move through the ‘Simonsig cellar school’ under his mentorship.
This includes a number of fellow current and former Guild members (Carl Schultz, Martin Meinert, Mike Dobrovic), as well as his red wine maker since vintage 2000, Debbie Thompson. Son Michael, a final-year University of Stellenbosch wine making student, waits in the wings.
While keeping an easy-drinking unwooded Pinotage on his 'winelist' over the years, Johan was in the vanguard of those working to establish pinotage as a serious barrel-matured red wine.
Some four vintages of his Redhill Pinotage has been among the annual ABSA Top 10 since the competition's inception in 1997.
Simonsig is also 'classified' as one of the country's top 10 pinotage producers in the first SA Pinotage Wine Guide issued by the Pinotage Association in 2011.
Johan developed the Simonsig flagship wine Tiara in 1990. Starting out as a cabernet sauvignon-merlot duo, it culminated with the 2009, containing all five classic Bordeaux varieties, and is one of the Cape's most consistently rated examples of this style.
But he was also an early experimenter with combining classic Bordeaux red varieties with premium wooded pinotage in search of something authentically South African in the premium red blend category.
His maiden 1994 'Cape' blend released in 1996 was the wine the Malan brothers eventually deemed worthy of carrying their father's name: Simonsig Frans Malan Cape Blend. An experimental version had debuted at the Guild auction in 1993.
Hangklip crayfish soup recipe with mussels by Johan Malan paired with Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel or Simonsig Cuvée Royale Blanc de Blancs....
Pecan nut tart recipe by Johan Malan paired with Simonsig Vin de Liza Noble Late Harvest....