THISTLE & WEED
ESTABLISHED 2015
SOUTH AFRICA
CONNECTION. SIMPLICITY. HONESTY.
Thistle and Weed is a collaboration between the Terblanche and Wiid families established in 2015, led by Etienne Terblanche (Viticulturist) and Stephanie Wiid (Winemaker).
Inspired by the encroaching weeds found amongst the vines grown in the Cape, Etienne and Steph draw parallels between thistles and weeds and the uncompromising tenacity and survival skills of grapevines.
Together, they set out to discover the best of the Cape’s hidden gems, intent on crafting honest wines that are made with a deep connection to nature and offer the most simple expression of the terroir from which they come.
THISTLE & WEED
EST 2015, SOUTH AFRICA
OUR JOURNEY
THERE IS A DEEP CONNECTION BETWEEN OUR WINES
AND THE SITE THEY ARE MADE FROM.
EVERYTHING WE DO IS ULTIMATELY TO REFLECT THE CLIMATE,
VINTAGE AND VINEYARD.
The vineyards lie at the heart of what we are trying to achieve. They offer us the opportunity to showcase the unrivalled beauty and sheer expanse of the Cape, our home. Working closely with a handful of growers we’ve set out to uncover some extraordinary parcels. Each parcel has its own rhythm and special community of weeds.
Ultimately the plants naturally occurring in a place tell you a lot about the history, soil, climate and season.
By combining the long-established local knowledge of growers and expert vineyard management techniques we aim to harness the best of each vintage.
ARTISANAL WINES
EST 2015, SOUTH AFRICA
OUR VINEYARDS
THISTLE & WEED
EST 2015, SOUTH AFRICA
OUR WINES
At Thistle & Weed, we like to keep things simple in order to best express each vineyard’s story. Inspired by the often overlooked thistle and weeds of the vineyards, each wine is dedicated to one of our favourite nuisances. We use the colloquial Afrikaans term for each to remind that these wines are unapologetically Kaaps.
For our white wines, we use whole bunch pressing and natural fermentation in older French oak barrels to best preserve
freshness and purity of fruit.
When it comes to our red wines, we opt for a combination of
de-stemmed whole berries, crushed berries and whole bunches which ferment in open-top tanks and mature in older French oak barrels.
Brandnetel (Urtica dioica, Stinging nettle) is steeped in dualities: both fierce and
soft; painful and restorative; tenacious yet humble.
It brings magic to fairytales
and vitality to soils. Inspired by these dualities, this unique Chenin Blanc reminds us that magic is woven into our lives from the soil to the glass.
BRANDNETEL CHENIN BLANC
-
STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA
DUWWELTJIE CHENIN BLANC
-
PAARL, SOUTH AFRICA
The Verdelho grape like the Khakibos (Tagetes minuta), is a newcomer to the
foothills of Stellenbosch. Stemming from distant shores, both are remarkably
comfortable in the unique Cape climate.
Blended with Chenin Blanc and other varieties (drawing inspiration from Portugal) that can withstand South Africa’s warm (and changing) climate.
KHAKIBOS WHITE
-
STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA
Night falls and Black Nightshade (Solanum nigrum, Nastergal) blooms, its berries
ripen to inky black. The deep-red flesh of the Alicante Bouschet (a teinturier
variety) aids in the pursuit of a wine as dark as Black Nightshade.
This blend is inspired by a love for Portuguese wines and the varieties that can withstand SA’s climate.
NASTERGAL
-
STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA
KNAPSEKERL
-
STELLENBOSCH, SOUTH AFRICA
OUR LONGSTANDING RELATIONSHIPS WITH OUR GROWERS AND
THOUGHTFUL VINEYARD MANAGEMENT THROUGHOUT THE YEAR IS KEY
TO ACHIEVING TOP QUALITY FRUIT.
SIMPLE WINEMAKING WITH WHOLE BUNCH PRESSING, MINIMAL INTERVENTION AND NATURAL FERMENTATION IN OLDER OAK BARRELS SUPPORTS OUR MISSION TO RELECT THE VINTAGE AND VINEYARD.
