As the South African wine industry continues to push through unyielding alcohol restrictions, awareness of the region's struggles continues to spread worldwide. Cork & Fork Logan Circle hosted this Round Table to bring to light the ever-evolving South African wine industry's past, present, and potential future.

Guests in order of appearance: - Graham Weerts, Winemaker, Jackson Family Wines, Stellenbosch, ZA // Napa Valley, CA, USA - Fran Kysela, MS, Kysela Imports from VA, USA - Jim Clarke, Marketing Manager for Wines of South Africa USA, Sommelier, Wine Writer from New York, USA - Boela Gerber, Winemaker, Groot Constantia from Stellenbosch, ZA - Caroline Hermann, MW, from Washington, DC, USA - Simon Back, CEO, Backsberg Estate Cellars from Stellenbosch, ZA - Travis Vernon, Owner, Well Crafted Wine & Beverage Co. from VA, USA - Michael Fridjhon, Visiting Professor of Wine Business, Graduate School of Business, University of Cape Town, the University of Cape Town from Johannesburg, ZA - Malose Letsoalo, Economic Minister, Head of Trade and Investment at the Embassy, South African Embassy from Washington, DC, USA

Michael Malat joins Cork & Fork for a comprehensive presentation on his winery. Michael was born into a “wine family,” the family estate he now runs. He took over the estate from his parents in 2008, making him the 10th-generation land steward. Michael studied Oenology at BOKU University of Applied Life Science and Soil Cultivation in Vienna, Austria. He worked with wine internationally in France, the USA, Argentina, and New Zealand. Michael believes in respecting what nature offers, working with the vineyards, and creating wines of great elegance and finesse.

Markus Steigler and Peter Szigeti join Cork & Fork for an introduction to their famous Szigeti sparkling wines. Szigeti was part of the new wave of Austrian sparkling wine producers in the 1990s who focused on high-quality, traditional method Sekt. The company began in 1991 when Peter Szigeti took over the family business in the village of Gols. Peter Szigeti has made it his most important task to capture the varietal characteristics of the grape varieties in his products. He aimed to create pure indulgence with every glass of Szigeti sparkling wine. That is why Peter Szigeti and his cellar master spend a lot of time in the vineyards of our partners and suppliers. This ensures that the grapes meet the highest quality standards and that their typical varietal character will eventually characterize the sparkling wine.

Join Gernot as he offers us a tour of his philosophies and tastes two of his bottlings. Gernot and Heike Heinrich founded their winery in 1990 with just one hectare, and have steadily grown to 90 hectares today. Heinrich was one of the first in the region to transition from simple white wines to high-quality reds in the early 1990s, and became famous for powerful red blends. In recent years, the focus turned to a line of wines produced with minimal intervention in the cellar. Heinrich converted to biodynamics in 2006 and is a member of Respekt, a certifying body for biodynamic viticulture in Austria. Heinrich today is one of Austria’s most innovative wine producers.

Join Georg as he discusses his winery and tastes his premium wines. Georg Leindl is one of the leading winemakers in Kamptal and has almost 30 years of experience in the sciences, including enology. After studying food and biotechnology, he became a researcher at the Federal College for Oenology and Pomology at Klos-tern-u-burg. He was an enology consultant for many years, gaining the globally respected title of the flying winemaker. He worked with one of Austria’s most famous winemakers, Martin Nigl. In 2013, Georg created his estate in Kamptal, and Weingut Leindl was born. He began with 5 hectares of vines and has recently increased his land to 12 hectares. Georg’s philosophy is brilliant because he walks between tradition and innovation.

Fred Loimer started working with his father Alfred in 1988 after completing his studies at Klosterneuburg with stints in Germany’s Nahe and Walter Schug winery in California. Fred took complete control of his family’s estate in 1997 and purchased the cellar of the Haindorf Castle on the outskirts of Langenlois. He then constructed a hyper-modern black cube on top of the old cellar, representing his aesthetic for modern elegance. Fred began practicing biodynamics in 2006 and is a founding member of Respekt, a certifying body for biodynamic viticulture in Austria. His wines are among the best examples of Grüner Veltliner and Riesling in the Kamptal. In 2002, he was named “Winemaker of the Year” by Austria's Falstaff wine magazine

Weingut Mayer am Pfarrplatz, the epitome of Viennese Heurigen culture, has a centuries-old tradition of crafting the finest Viennese wines since 1683. Vienna is the only metropolitan city in the world with notable viticultural areas within its city boundaries and its unique terroir. The wine-growing region of Vienna covers a surface area of approx. 640 hectares. Old vineyards were planted generations ago. Flysch and marl soils with plenty of shell limestone formed 3 million years ago, and more than 100 tiny sites with varying soil formations. Warm winds streamed in from the Pannonian plains versus the cooling influence of the Vienna Woods and the Danube River. All these unique factors produce excellent wines.

The Huber family has wine-growing roots dating back more than 220 years. Today the winery in Reichersdorf is in its 10th generation and is run by Markus Huber. In 2000, Markus took over four hectares from his father, which, up to that point, had been farmed to produce the wines served in his family restaurant. His outstanding ability to manage the winery with sensitivity and consistency, both in the vineyards and the cellars, has ensured that in a concise space of time, he established Huber wines as an internationally acclaimed leading producer in Austria.

The Moser family is one of Austria’s grand, traditional viticultural dynasties with roots dating back to the 12th Century. The most famous recent descendant of this family is the renowned viticulture pioneer Dr. Lenz Moser, who, in the 1950s, developed vine training called the “Lenz Moser system.” Still, it was not until 1987 that the Sepp Moser estate re-invented into its current state. In 2000, Nikolaus Moser took over the management of the winery, building a state-of-the-art facility. In 2006, Sepp Moser officially moved to certified biodynamic viticulture (DEMETER), and in 2009, they released the first officially certified organic wines. The estate focuses on cultivating healthy vines growing on balanced, vigorous soils. Sepp Moser, under the direction of Niki Moser, is one of Austria's first wine estates to have converted to biodynamic viniculture.

Embark on a journey with the Triebaumer family, heirs to a winemaking legacy steeped in tradition and craftsmanship since 1691. Regina and Gunter Triebaumer's meticulous winemaking approach pays homage to their ancestors and the land itself. With a deep respect for nature, they embrace sustainable practices, minimizing the use of chemicals, herbicides, and fertilizers while championing dry farming methods.

Their commitment to nurturing healthy soils and robust vines yields grapes of unparalleled quality. Each grape is carefully hand-picked and undergoes gentle maceration, followed by minimal intervention winemaking techniques. The result? Wines brimming with character, reflecting the unique terroir of their vineyards and the Triebaumer family's unwavering dedication to excellence.