Growing up on the southwest coast of South Africa, surfing and enjoying the ocean, Namibian-born winemaker and winemaker MC Stander entered the wine scene almost by chance in 2006. Quickly choosing to s Moving away from large-scale production, MC realized his passion for natural winemaking and organic farming at Joostenberg Wines. In 2018, still drawn to a more minimalist approach to wine, MC founded Equinox Wines . In collaboration with Swartland winemakers, he aims to create wines that are both balanced and natural. Inspired by the Beaujolais region of France, he uses practices such as carbonic fermentation, whole clusters and skin maceration, with the aim of creating fruit-based, digestible wines representative of their terroir.
The soils of each plot are mainly decomposed granite with a sandy layer, producing wines with fruit purity and great acidity. All fruit comes from local wine growers who practice biodynamic and organic farming. The grapes are hand-picked at the start of the harvest season to capture their natural acidity and produce wines with lower alcohol content. Each grape variety is fermented separately in small stainless steel vats. All fermentations are carried out in whole clusters using carbonic or semi-carbonic methods. The wines are then transferred to old 225 liter barrels to complete malolactic fermentation and aging. No yeast, acids, settling agents or any other products are used during the winemaking process, except for a small amount of sulfur. This wine reveals notes of wild strawberries , cherry , blackcurrant , cranberries , dried blackberries , aromatic herbs , spices and smoky nuances . The palate is fresh, light, digestible, refined and fragrant. The finish is on red fruits and spices.