This episode we have Mick Craven on the podcast. Mick, originally from Australia, and his South African wife Jeanine make Craven Wines – a négociant-style wine business based in Stellenbosch.

The Cravens work exclusively within the Stellenbosch WO, working with a select group of grape growers and making a set of single vineyard wines in such a way as to “let the grapes do the talking” as Mick puts it.

Everything the Cravens do has a transparency and purity to it. No smoke nor mirrors.

They are due to release their vintage 2019 wines here in South Africa in a few weeks – in April – so I asked Mick to come in to Ex Animo HQ and chat about them.

We do go into a bit of the history of Craven Wines during the conversation, principally to provide some context about the 2019s, but I also get curious and want to ask questions that shoots us off on a few tangents along the way. Talking with Mick is always fun and informative.

Since recording the podcast I have had the privilege of tasting all the 2019s and can confirm the wines look compact, expressive and precise with intensity.

Unfortunately Jeanine couldn’t be with us for the podcast, but we will get her on at some point in the future.

If you enjoy the conversation, please consider sharing the episode.

NB - at some point I say there are "around 70 Alsace Grands Crus" - there are in fact 51. :)