THE WINEMAKER

Winemaker Jean Smit is a storyteller. For the nigh-on-20-years that he’s spent as a winemaker, his belief has always been that wine should communicate the history of its home. During this time, he worked alongside South African winemaking legends like Adi Badenhorst at Rustenberg, and spent almost a decade at Boekenhoutskloof as Chief Winemaker. 

Jean has also gone on pilgrimages to New World Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Riesling sanctuaries like Marlborough, and Russian River Valley, while also spending time with the famed Burgundian-trained winemaker Stéphane Ogier (Domaine M&S Ogier) in Côte Rotie. This tapestry of life experiences makes him distinctly qualified for the task of painting the Elgin story, using these cool climate cultivars as his palette.