Is the Trip Over?

Hey Everyone,

So I have been back for nearly two weeks and I find myself wondering what happens next for the WynExplorer.  Is this South African venture to be a one off?  Will I go back next year and consolidate whatever I have managed to achieve?  Shall I at least go and pop in again on the lovely folks at Reyneke (and bring them a better whisky!) to see what the wines are doing in the barrels?  Absolutely!  But that's not all...

My aim as WynExplorer was not merely to go and enjoy a romp through South Africa, enjoy the wine and food and return back to reality.  I went there for a reason.  A reason that must be replicated elsewhere around the world of wine if it is to have any significance.  I wanted to find the best and most interesting wines in the world and at minimum I have not yet failed, merely taught myself that the search will be unending; Blessed with two vintages each year (Northern and Southern Hemisphere) I will have to take my travels elsewhere and find more wines, more personalities to inspire and more excitement in the world of wine.

While I was in South Africa, I had the pleasure of meeting some amazing people and passing days with wine makers who are tremendously devoted to their craft and possessing great vision for what they want to create.  They constantly challenge each other to create better and encourage the best in South African wine.  I know that, as awesome as this is, it cannot be a unique culture among winemakers.  I know that in any given wine region there must be communities of neighbouring winemakers who push each other and as a result their wines are better.

That is what I mean to find in the rest of the world and in South Africa I was fortunate enough to encounter it for the first time.  My challenge to myself now, is to go out into the rest of the world and find it wherever it exists.  Be that Napa Valley, the Rousillon or the Maule Valley, I can only say that I am excited for what exactly these explorations might yield.

I am looking to find wines that are of exceptional quality and come from the hands of a caring and dedicated winemaker, and I was lucky to find such wines in South Africa.  Raats, Reyneke and Sijnn all showed me the inxcredible things South Africa's vines can achieve, whether that is the execution of a classic style, the implementation of high farming standards and fine wine making or the experimentation with completely new soils and varieties to produce an instant classic.

Wherever I go next (and I'll be sure to tell you all first as soon as I know myself) I am sure I will find something incredible!

Much Love,
George