In the Press - FRAM
Laura on 7 Oct 2016
Newcomers FRAM have been featured in a great piece from Evening Standard wine columnist Nuria Stylianou on how to get into South Africa's sizzling wine selection.:
"South African wines are sizzling at the moment. Key grape types continue to be Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Cinsault and Pinotage (an often tricky cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault) for reds and Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc for dry still whites.
But in the past few years, their reputation has shifted from producers of full-bodied, over-ripe, boozy reds and often heavy-handed whites to versatile, refined and elegant styles, suiting a variety of foods and ranging in alcohol from 11 to 14 per cent ABV.
Over 90 per cent of the country’s wine comes from the Western Cape. Here, the Mediterranean climate, with its hot summers and winter rainfall, has ideal conditions for vine growing. The cooling influence of the Atlantic keeps the grapes from drying out in the afternoon heat, as well as the diurnal range between day and night differing from as much as 10 to 15 degrees, allowing the grapes to preserve their freshness and ideal sugar levels. Not forgetting the stunning mountain ranges offering a host of different altitudes and aspects, as well as the vast range of soil types, such as limestone, shale and granite, winemakers seem spoilt for choice when picking the right land. So why are their wines thriving now and what changes are taking place?
One such innovator, Thinus Krüger from FRAM (previously winemaker for Boschendal and Fleur du Cap before embarking on his own venture) sums it up: “Looking back at 15 years of producing wines, the biggest change for me is that for many years we tried to make great Cabs like Bordeaux or Napa, Shiraz like the Barossa Valley or the Rhône, but now we just make our own wines, true to the soil and the climate and our own preferences. Confident of our unique signature”