Hailing from Calvados in France, Christophe Durand is now one of South Africa’s most innovative and pioneering winemakers. Following his move to Cape Town in 1995 Christophe established himself as a supplier of premium French oak barriques to local winemakers. It was through this connection that he was able to obtain his a small batch of Syrah and release his first wine in 2000. So with a nod to his French heritage began Christophe's quest to craft elegant wines that express terroir and the quality South Africa is capable of. Christophe relies on unique vineyard sites, early picking and rigorous sorting to bring in, "beautiful, healthy berries which shape a more balanced wine." "The key is the quality of the grapes with the aim to be as natural as possible. We work a lot in the vineyards but we don't work a lot in the cellar." Success quickly followed and ever the innovator Christophe moved into in the heart of Cape Town, shaking up the local industry by setting up the country's first urban winery, combing a working cellar with luxury fine dining and cellar door experience. His award winning wines now grace many fine dining restaurants across the globe and are now available for you to enjoy at home.
