Naked Winemaker

Francois Haasbroek

South Africa

Ratings
4,002
Followers
1,193

Francois's Wines

  • South Africa
  • 5 wines
  • 4 styles

He left his high-flying job making SA's favourite wines to pursue the next best underground find

  • Francois has worked for some of the world’s most iconic brands, including Dry Creek Vineyard in Sonoma, Jackson Estate in Marlborough, and Waterford Estate back home in Stellenbosch.
  • His real passion however, is seeking out under the radar parcels to craft boutique wines - so in 2014 he ditched the high-flying day job to turn his hand to making the next great underground wine.
  • Francois now focuses exclusively on creating high quality, single-vineyard wines from small-scale sites hidden away all over the Western Cape. He built long lasting relationships with the growers and made wines true to their site of origin, with as little human jiggery-pokery as possible.

Francois's Activity

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Francois Haasbroek Winemaker

2 years ago

After 20 years of making wine, across several continents, working with dozens of partners and building as many brands, I have learnt what we do are ephemeral and subjective.
At the same time, winemakers manage to grow thick skins and take criticism and comments on our work in our stride, learn from it, adapting and changing while all along dealing with certain realities out of our control, like vintage conditions.

I read all comments, and as much as I love the positive notes; it is the constructive critiques I really pay attention too, those where the taster really applied themselves to the wine and unpacked why they did not appreciate the wine. Those notes build us up, make us try and do better. Although the bottle of wine on your table, or in your fridge is an object with no feeling, no soul; the people behind it have applied themselves to the best of their ability to fulfil a pact of trust between you the paying customer and us the producer / provider. Bare the above in mind when critiquing the work of other, technical faults need to be called out cold as such, but not liking a style of wine does not equate a bad wine. This is by far the hardest single hardest skill we learn as winemakers, when "judging" the work of other's one has to separate subjective personal preference from forming an objective opinion when judging.

We do the best we can, disappointing customers is simply bad business; please keep the comments coming and if possible verbalise what you disliked (and liked !!).

(latest reply 2 years ago)

Needs to breathe for a while for the full well balanced flavours to make themselves known. Not a punchy fruity wine but one of quality notes once it breathes. I like it and have ordered again.

(latest reply 3 days ago)

Absolutely fab wine. Sign me up this is the one def for me!!

(latest reply 3 days ago)

Do t like sauvingnon blac wine

(latest reply 2 months ago)
(latest reply 2 months ago)

I love a Cab Sav and I also like some of the wines leaner in style. This one isn't big and fruity but instead much more restrained and has that spice and wood which I did like. However, that spice and cedar seemed a little too 'dense' to my taste, like it really needed to open up and I just couldn't get it to. This wine seems tantalising and full of potential but for me, just didn't quite deliver.
I think in another year or two it would have been great so if you haven't opened yours yet, maybe hold off a little longer! I might try again and do the same.

(latest reply 2 months ago)
(latest reply 2 months ago)

Good quality and value and flavour, a little more floral than previous vintages so take note if that’s not your thing,

(latest reply 2 months ago)
(latest reply 2 months ago)