Prior to Swartland gaining recognition as a hub of revolutionary winemakers in South Africa, Charles Back ventured to the region to secure fruit for his renowned label, Goats do Roam. This label was a part of his iconic Fairview brand, one of the few to gain international success during the dark days of Apartheid. In those days, the fruit in Swartland was grown mostly for entry-level bulk wine production by The Swartland Cooperative. Then one can imagine the surprise by Back when he tasted a wine that was so great, he became compelled not just by the wine, but the entire vineyard from which it came. This inspiring wine was a Sauvignon Blanc from a single vineyard, The Amos Block. At the time it was owned by a small farmer who would vinify and sell the resulting wine to the co-op.
This was back in 1995 – just a year after Apartheid ended – and South Africa was just starting to see decades of international trade embargoes lifted. There was hardly a guaranteed market for this wine, although there was finally a runway forming. Unafraid to embrace risk, Back was too charmed by this wine to simply move on. So, he went all-in, and that day asked to purchase the farm. A handshake agreement was formed, and the beginning of Swartland’s evolution into one of the most exciting and dynamic in the southern hemisphere was started.
The farm, known as Klein Amoskuil, was subsequently replanted, except for The Amos Block, which turned out to be the oldest block of Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa (nice find, Charles!) After the replanting, Back officially launched Spice Route Winery and hired a talented young winemaker, Eben Sadie. This hire would prove genius as Sadie would later emerge as a central figure in the quality revolution away from co-ops and towards a proliferation of small independent producers of the Swartland region.
