Riverine

Francois Haasbroek and Jaap Pijl are two unlikely characters to have been South Africa’s first canned wine producers. Francois, of Blackwater Wines, is an umpteenth generation South African whose winemaking style is rooted in the traditional camp. Jaap is a Dutch accountant by trade, working primarily with large wineries over the years. Together, they launched Renegade Wines, which is the parent project that encompasses Riverine. Their idea is simple: to put serious wine in cans. Most canned wines on the market today are “cheap” (cheap wine in a cheap vessel made from cheap fruit). But Francois sees it the other way around. They just “put wine in packaging that makes sense.” Bridging the gap between old school and new wave, Francois makes varietally correct wines from extremely carefully sourced fruit and ferments them with native yeast. The Chenin Blanc and Rosé come from certified biodynamic sites, and the former is also from a Certified Old Vine Heritage Vineyard. In few instances will you find wine this serious in a can.