MAN Family Wines

HISTORY 

“It all started as a simple idea, to make a wine that we’d love to buy. We wanted quality wine that offered excellent value and great packaging. Not exactly an epiphany, perhaps, but enough to motivate us into action. Of course, first we had to come up with a name. To keep peace in the families, we took our wives’ initials (we each have one wife) — that is how we explained to Marie, Anette and Nicky that we were going to be ‘busy’ most weekends. ‘It’s for you!’ we told them. And mostly it’s true.” José Conde and brothers Tyrrel and Philip Myburgh started making wine together in 2001. They’re further supported by a group of dedicated grape growers from the Agter-Paarl region. From the first 300 cases made in a tractor shed, the operation has grown to producing over 250,000 cases per year and exporting to 25 countries. 

THE AREA 

The team at MAN Family Wines can get pretty excited about a bunch of rocks. That’s because the rocky, shale soils in the AgterPaarl area seem to be having a love affair with the grape vines. Who would have thought that you could take tough, old soils (where you can hardly grow weeds), plant vines and, even though nature only gives them a small amount of rain each year, grow grapes that produce wonderfully expressive wines. 

THE GRAPES

Despite being blessed with excellent soils, it still takes a dedicated farmer to grow good grapes. Today 30 farmers produce 95% of MAN’s fruit. In order to protect the vineyard sources, several years ago they were made partners in MAN Family Wines. Almost 80% of the vineyards are not irrigated and a large percentage are traditional “bush vine” (untrellised) vineyards. This combination of low-yielding, traditionally-farmed vines grown on shale and decomposed granite soils makes for distinctive, concentrated, and flavorful grapes. The growers are all accredited as environmentally sustainable and socially responsible farmers by the South African Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) scheme and the South African Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA). They are regularly audited to make sure they are looking after the environment and their staff. 

THE WINES 

MAN Family Wines are bold, fruity, modern-styled wines. Since the focus is on one wine growing area, it is also important that they express the uniqueness of the area. A good customer once said that the wines are “daily wines for wine geeks”, and that sums it up well.