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About Us
Brett & Fia
Founders of Cape Wine Experience
Brett was born and raised in South Africa, and Fia is from Sweden. We are both very fond of good food and wine, foodies if you will. We met through mutual friends in Cape Town and in 2015 we started our life together in our beloved Cape Town. We took full advantage of the city, with all it has to offer in the restaurant and wine scene, which also gave us a good network among restaurateurs, winemakers, sommeliers, etc.
The Cape Wine Experience is the result of a strong love for both South Africa and Sweden!
In 2020, the world was turned upside down for most people, including us. Each country dealt with the pandemic in its own way. As part of its pandemic strategy, the South African government banned the sale of alcohol. This was obviously frustrating for consumers, but had much more serious consequences for vineyards (which are a major employer in the country). When we arrived in Sweden in June 2020, via a repatriation flight, we decided to buy only South African wines to do our part to support the vineyards ‘back home’. However, we were very disappointed when we realized that the offer was far from reflecting the diversity we were used to from South Africa. One thing led to another, and the Cape Wine Experience was born.
Our aim is to show South African wines as they are – a reflection of the place they come from, full of passion and innovation, the result of a rich and diverse history. The wines you find with us are produced with as little impact as possible, minimal intervention. All winegrowers and winemakers attach great importance to sustainability, from the work done in the vineyard to the cellar, but also in the working conditions and the retention of their team year after year. As Brett says “these are winemakers that I as a South African can be proud of!”.
At Cape Wine Experience we speak Swenglish. Brett (South African) has lived in Sweden for just over 3 years, and understands most things in Swedish. It goes without saying that Fia speaks both Swedish and English. Brett is working on improving his Swedish and Fia helps him as much as she can. So please be patient if the website is not always in correct Swedish. Our wine tastings are held in English, but feel free to ask questions in Swedish, even if the answer may be, at least in part, in English. You can contact us in both English and Swedish.
The story behind a wine is almost as important as the taste experience itself. Check out our producer pages to find out more about the people behind the wines.
“Winemaking is a form of art, and art without context is obscure” – Brett
There’s a lot of room for improvement in South Africa, but one thing they have really succeeded in is their sustainability and integrity work in the vineyards. Sustainable Wine South Africa (SWSA) promotes more sustainable and eco-friendly production in South Africa’s wine industry. The label guarantees that the origin, grape variety and vintage correspond to what is written on the bottle. The sustainability aspect places demands on how the grapes are grown and harvested, produced and bottled.
South Africa has a long history of winemaking, dating back to the mid-17th century. But with apartheid, the country became extremely isolated. Until 1994, before South Africa became a democratic nation, the wine industry was highly regulated. The state decided what could be grown and where. Much has happened in the nearly 30 years since Mandela came to power, and the wine scene is no exception. In the last 10-20 years, South African wines have undergone a renaissance and you won’t want to miss what’s on offer!
To quote Tim Atkin, Master of Wine, “South Africa is making the greatest wines in its history”.
