“The balance of the vineyard is probably the most important thing…if the soil is fantastic, the plant will be great.”
“Respect what the vineyard hands you,” is Spier cellarmaster Frans’ mantra. This passionate commitment for creating wines that are authentically and vividly expressive of their terroir has seen Frans amass an impressive list of awards both at home and abroad.
A hands-on approach to winemaking sees Frans in the cellar most days tasting out of barrel and tank to check the development of the wines. Mid-palate weight is seen by Frans as the most important feature of a premium quality wine; while ability to age is a key prerequisite in the Frans K Smit, his eponymous flagship blend. All is lost, however, without superior grape quality – this in turn depending on the calibre of the vines. Endless hours are spent in consultation with his team, identifying and maintaining vineyards that consistently produce excellent yields. “It all happens in the vineyard,” he says. “We carefully select the region and the growing blocks. There’s a deep reverence for what’s brought to the table in the harvest basket. This is the big thing: not tampering with the natural process – but helping it along.”
61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 21% Cabernet Franc, 18% Petit Verdot
Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
This wine is a unique blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, all planted in 2003. A portion of the wine consists of a fermented blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot. The vineyard is situated at an altitude between 200m and 240m on a northwest-facing slope, offering optimal growing conditions. Located 8km from the sea, the Helderberg Vineyard benefits from an ocean view, contributing to the wine’s distinctive character.
Tasting Notes: Rich and complex with a seamless velvety texture, layered red currant and cacao aromas, and inky density – a signature of the high percentage of Petit Verdot. This wine is destined for great maturation.
Ready for drinking now until 2035.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
58% Sauvignon Blanc, 42% Sémillon
Wine of Origin Cape Town
This Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from dry land vineyards in Durbanville, situated on southwest-facing slopes. The Sémillon component comes from Durbanville as well, but from vines facing east. Each varietal is fermented separately in barrel. The majority of the wine undergoes fermentation and maturation in 320-litre Port-style barrels. After blending in June 2023, the wine matures until March 2024, spending a total of 12 months in barrel.
Tasting Notes: A Sauvignon Blanc-led white blend, with gooseberry and black currant nose, hints of fig leaf, followed by spice from barrel ageing with hints of lemon from the Sémillon and a creamy, long finish.
Ready for drinking now until 2034.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
43% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Cabernet Franc, 19% Merlot, 11% Petit Verdot
Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Tasting Notes: Dark berry and cedar oak scents, with a great breath of rich, ripe flavours. Expressive but fine tannins that will become silkier over time. This wine has supreme balance with great ageing potential.
Drink now or in the next 10 to 12 years.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet France
Grapes were hand-picked, destemmed and hand-sorted before fermentation. The wine was naturally fermented in stainless steel tanks, followed by maturation in 225 litre French oak barrels for a period of 20 months.
Tasting Notes: Hints of cigar box notes on the nose followed by berries, a faint sensation of mint and savoury undertones, the wine is complex and dense in structure with a silky mid-palate and a smooth lengthy finish.
50 Cases of this wine were sold on the 2021 auction.
Ready for drinking now or within the next 10 to 12 years.
Estimate (6 bottles): R4 200 – R5 500
Winemaker: Frans Smit
52% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 10% Petit Verdot, 8% Cabernet Franc
Grapes were hand-picked, destemmed and hand-sorted before fermentation. The wine was naturally fermented in stainless steel, followed by maturation in 225 litre French oak barrels for a period of 20 months.
Tasting Notes: Hints of cigar box notes on the nose followed by berries, a faint sensation of mint and savoury undertones, the wine is complex and dense in structure with a silky mid-palate and a smooth, lengthy finish.
Ready for drinking now or allow to mature for 10 to 12 years.
This wine is packed in a wooden box.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
60% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
The grapes were hand-picked, destemmed and hand-sorted before fermentation. The wine was naturally fermented in a 400 litre roller barrel and an open top wood fermenter. Maturation for 22 months in barrel before being bottled.
Tasting Notes: It’s a silky textured concentrated wine with hints of blackberry and black cherry. The wine has a dense core with beautiful fresh tones of red fruit lingering on the palate. This is the first Certified Organic Red Wine to be offered on the CWG Auction. Biodynamic principles were used in both farming and winemaking processes.
Ready for drinking now and until 2032.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
Naturally skin fermented Chenin Blanc from 35-year-old dry land Chenin Blanc vineyards. The grapes were harvested at full ripeness and fermented in an older French oak barrel. The wine was bottled with almost no sulphur addition.
Tasting Notes: Bright, golden, yellow hues with butterscotch, apricots and hints of citrus on the nose. A rich mouth-watering palate precedes a lingering crisp finish. Pairs well with butter chicken or pork belly.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
The grapes were hand-picked, destemmed and hand-sorted before fermentation.
Vintage 2015 was a special year where very little interference and soft
extraction in the winemaking process was required. The wine was naturally
fermented in 400 litre roller barrels. After 12 months of barrel maturation,
the wine was blended and returned to barrel for 12 more
months.
Tasting Notes: Dark edged, this wine shows prominent ripe blackcurrant on the nose with hints of cassis and spicy undertones. It is full bodied with layers of fruit and spice and a well-integrated tannin structure. 50 cases of this wine were previously sold on the 2018 Auction.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
Grapes were hand-picked, destemmed and hand sorted before fermentation. Vintage 2015 was a special year where very little interference and soft extraction in the winemaking process was required. The wine was naturally fermented in 400 litre roller barrels. After 12 months of barrel maturation, the wine was blended and returned to barrel for 12 more months.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
The grapes were hand-picked, destemmed and hand-sorted before fermentation in 400 litre roller barrels. Left for extended skin contact over a period of 40 days, the wine was pressed and transferred to French oak barrels for maturation of 24 months.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
This Five Star John Platter wine was fermented in 400 litre roller barrels and a 1000 litre open top fermenter, followed by 24 months in barrel maturation. A light egg fining rounded off the tannin structure.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
This wine was fermented in 400 litre roller barrels and a 1 000 litre open top fermenter, followed by 24 months in barrel maturation. A light egg fining rounded off the tannin structure.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
This wine was fermented in 400 litre roller barrels and a 1000 litre open top fermenter, followed by 24 months barrel maturation. A light egg white fining rounded off the tannin structure. Tasting Notes: Dark edged, this wine shows prominent ripe blackcurrant on the nose with hints of cassis and spicy undertones. It is full-bodied with layers of fruit and spice and a well-integrated tannin structure.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
This wine was fermented in 400 litre roller barrels and a 1000 litre open top fermenter, followed by 24 months barrel maturation. A light egg white fining rounded off the tannin structure. Tasting Notes: Dark-edged, this wine shows prominent ripe blackcurrant on the nose with hints of cassis and spicy undertones. It is full-bodied with layers of fruit and spice and a well-integrated tannin structure.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
The grapes are picked from a vineyard planted on a north westerly slope, 120 metres above sea level. The grapes were harvested at full ripeness. Picked in 10kg lug boxes and pre-cooled to 8 degrees C prior to crushing. Hand sorting of the bunches was followed by de-stemming, berry sorting and then crushing. Fermentation was in open French oak fermenters. Malolactic fermentation took place in barrel, followed by 22 months barrel maturation before bottling. Tasting Notes: The wine shows aromas of cherry, berries and smoky spice with an undertone of savoury earthiness and subtle mint chocolate. The wine is rich and complex with a silky mid – palate and long, lingering finish.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
The grapes are picked from vineyards planted on a south easterly facing slope within a 4.8 km proximity to the ocean. Tasting Notes: An intense, ruby coloured wine which shows inviting aromas of cherry, well-matured oak spice and hints of tobacco. The palate is beautifully structured and creamy in texture. Will gain additional complexity with cellaring.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
100% Merlot The grapes are picked from a vineyard planted on a North Westerly slope at 120 metres above sea level. The grapes were harvested at full ripeness. Picked in 10 kg lug boxes and pre-cooled to 8 degrees C prior to crushing. Hand sorting of the bunches was followed by de-stemming, berry sorting and then crushing. Fermentation took place in open French oak fermenters. Malolactic fermentation happened in barrel, followed by 22 months barrel maturation before bottling. Tasting note: The wine shows aromas of cherry, berries and smoky spice with an undertone of savoury earthiness and subtle mint chocolate. The wine is rich and complex with a silky mid-palate and long lingering finish. Drink now or within the next 8 to 10 years.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
100% Pinotage The grapes are picked from vineyards planted on a South Easterly facing slope within a 4.8 km proximity to the ocean. Tasting note: An intense ruby coloured wine which shows inviting aromas of cherry, well-matured oak spice and hints of tobacco. The palate is beautifully structured and creamy in texture. The wine will gain additional complexity with cellaring. Drink now or for the next 8 to 10 years.
Winemaker: Frans Smit
The grapes were picked from a vineyard planted on a north-westerly slope at 120 metres above sea level. The grapes were harvested at full ripeness. Picked in 10 kg lug boxes, the grapes were pre-cooled to 8 degrees Celsius prior to hand sorting of the bunches followed by destemming, berry sorting and then crushing. Fermentation took place in open top French oak fermenters and Malolactic fermentation took place in barrel, followed by 22 months barrel maturation before bottling. Tasting note: The wine shows aromas of cherry, berries and smoky spice with an undertone of savoury earthiness and subtle mint chocolate. The wine is rich and complex with a dense but silky mid palate and a long, lingering finish.
Winemaker: Frans Smit