South African Garagiste wine

The Garagiste wine movement began in South Africa in the mid 90's with pioneers like Cathy Marshall (now Barefoot Wine Company, and no longer Garagiste) and Clive Torr of Topaz Wines.
For wine to be considered garagiste, it has to be certified with the Wine and Spirits board, totally funded garagiste, made in a garagiste style and have no more than 9000 litres maximum for total production.
Garagiste, by definition means something like this: 'A micro-négociant specializing in very limited-production wines, often known as "vins de garage," or garage wines, because their production size is such that they could be made in a garage.'

But if you truly want to find out more, do Clive Torr's workshop in March. Here are the deets:

Clive Torr is a Cape Wine Master, international winemaker and a renowned wine judge who is one of the foremost authorities on Pinot Noir in South Africa and who pioneered the garagiste movement in this country.

He uses his vast experience of making wines and teaching others the art of winemaking in South Africa and France to ensure that participants experience a fun-filled hands-on experience in the vineyard and cellar. The next Topaz Garagiste Workshop takes place on 3 March 2012 at the Topaz Garagiste Wine Cellar at the DelVera biodiversity estate in Stellenbosch. The cost is R 1200 per participant (incl VAT) which includes the following: • 12 bottles of each participant’s OWN WINE with personalised labels of their own design if so required (after the final bottling) • a Winemaker’s Apron, plus 2 tasting glasses in an embroidered carry case for each participant • a prestigious Certificate of Accomplishment and a photo of each participant with Clive • a blog on the Topaz website about the wine and its progress • a picnic lunch during winemaking and a braai at the bottling party • the sourcing and transport of grapes, provision of fermentation tank, barrel, winemaking equipment, chemicals, laboratory analyses and use of a registered cellar • all wines used for tastings and for the lunch • the cost of bottling, packaging and bottling party participation OR delivery of wine to those not attending the bottling Excluded are: transport to and from the venue, accommodation and insurance. Please click here for more information. If you are interested in attending please email Tanja Beutler at tanja@topazwines.co.za.