a tribute

This is a tribute to a dear friend that passed away recently.

A friend of few words but when he spoke the knowledge and wisdom would drip from every sentence. A friend that loved the outdoors and that have stood on some of the highest mountain summits in Africa. A friend that had more outdoor gadgets than an outdoor store. I remember one day visiting him at his home and him showing me all his gadgets. It took more than several hours. A friend that had different beliefs than me, but still we spoke for hours about everything from religion and evolution to wine and the joys of being “out there” in the wide open spaces. A friend that taught me to challenge the “status quo” of the wine industry and never to accept things. He told me endless stories and secrets of wine industry scandals in South Africa and I could listen to him speak for hours. We went on various business trips together. We have tasted together endless numbers of times. His opinion was one that I valued the most and he would be the first person I would phone for advice or an opinion. His love for tasting and wine was inspiring. His knowledge and feeling for this specific subject was incredible. I remember being at a tasting he hosted some years ago where he presented wines from Brazil and Uruguay. I was dumbstruck of his knowledge. His specific love for Burgundy and Pinot noir was signified by his collection of books of the region which must have counted into the thirties? But I think the most significant aspect of our friendship was the fact that he was the winemaker I worked with when I did my first harvest back in 2001. It was a nervous harvest for both of us, him having moved into the new position only recently and me being a student doing my first harvest. I remember that harvest with all its challenges as if it was yesterday and the uphill battle we fought that whole season. I never got to thank him for those precious days in 2001 and that will be something I might regret for a long time. But the memory of his dry humour, his floppy hairstyle and goofy appearance plus his love for wine and tasting will never be erased.

This one is for you my friend! To Louw Engelbrecht.......