Costandius grows Solo

Philip Costandius

Costandius, who has just ended a 5½ year tenure as Cellar Master at Lourensford Winery, will be making his own range of handcrafted wines under the Solo label and will assist smaller wine producers with their vineyard and winery management on a consulting basis. Costandius has been a member of the prestigious Cape Winemakers Guild representing the pinnacle of South African winemakers, since 1988 and has been Chairman of the Guild since 2006.

“Doing my own thing in wine has been in the pipeline for a long time and I believe the time is right to start my own venture now,” said Costandius, who holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Oenology and Viticulture from Stellenbosch University and is eminently qualified in all spheres of winery management, winemaking and viticulture.

Growing Solo

Costandius hopes to produce his first Solo wines in 2009 and is currently sourcing individual terroir specific vineyard blocks that will best express his passion for the classic Rhône-style which has grown on him ever since his stint in the Domaine Brusset cellar in Côte du Rhône in France in 1999.

Viognier and Shiraz will be his first priority, but he also intends sourcing Semillon, Chardonnay, Weisser Riesling, Grenache, Mourvedre and Carignan. Ultimately, he envisages two signature Solo blends made from Rhône varietals - a spicy, textured red and a rich, aromatic white in a style that is delicately wooded and approachable. Whilst volumes will be small to begin with, Philip has a long term strategy to own his own vineyard and winery that can handle between 70 and 100 tons of grapes for the production of his range of Solo wines.

Describing the philosophy behind his new venture, Costandius says, “Solo is about the sense of being an individual. We are all created equal but at the same time we are all different. All wines have alcohol, acidity and flavour, but it is the individual wine which combines all these characteristics in true harmony that stands out. I aim to make those wines.”

Numerous technical trips and visits to local and international trade shows will hold him in good stead when it comes to marketing his own Solo wines in a highly competitive and challenging global market.

Background blend

At Lourensford, Costandius was at the helm during the commissioning of the new winery in 2003 and secured BRC and HACCP accreditation for management and best practice systems which he implemented in the cellar. Prior to joining Lourensford in December 2002, he gained extensive experience in management and HR related matters at Neethlingshof Estate where he was entrusted with the winemaking as well as the management of the entire estate comprising 210 hectares under vines.

After commencing his winemaking career at Delheim Wines as assistant winemaker and later Cellar Master, Costandius participated in harvests and study tours in some of the world's foremost wine producing regions including France, Germany, Italy, Australia, California, Portugal and Spain. Besides his many achievements and the multitude of trophies, double gold and gold medals his wines have garnered over the years, one of his most rewarding projects has been the establishment on a part time basis of a five-hectare vineyard on virgin soil in Vyeboom.

“I look forward to many more projects of this nature where my technical expertise and experience can benefit an individual producer who wants to develop his vineyards and winery,” Costandius said.