THE ESSENCE OF BIZOE
Winemaking is a true reflection of place and the person guiding the grapes into becoming wine. With Bizoe, nothing is orchestrated or contrived to serve current trends or jump on the bandwagon of popular styles. Instead, honesty and sincerity lie at the heart of these wines and the team’s aspiration to make the best wine they can. Provenance is treasured from sustainable farming practices, anticipating the flavours in what you taste in the vineyards and translating a unique vintage into the character the wine itself decided to be.
BENONI AND BEYOND.
It has been over a decade since Bizoe wines graced the first dining room tables, and they intend to fill the next decade with more vinous memories across the globe. January 1st, 2008, marked the first harvest. In November that year, the first wine, Bizoe Henrietta 2008, was introduced at an event held in Rikus’ hometown and Highschool premises, Hans Moore in Benoni. He named the wine after his mom, “a fighter and a survivor” whose steadfast belief grounded him, and none of her sacrifices went unnoticed. The wine commemorates the mammoth task of raising a child as the matriarchal wine in the range, echoing the nurturing techniques one needs to master in crafting exceptional wines.
From a hometown show-off to a big city showcase in 2008, Bizoe dipped its toes in a much bigger pool and introduced the wine to Sun International Group Sommelier Georgio Meletiou at Sun City. He was super excited about the stylistic direction of the wine, and it gave Rikus the confidence to start selling his wine nationally. Today, production is estimated on 18 000 bottles, encapsulating the diverse landscape and terroir Rikus fell in love with. He has since never become complacent in discovering, experimenting, and sharing the fruit of his labour with Bizoe-lovers.
In October 2009, Bizoe Estalét Syrah 2008 joined the brand, named after Rikus’ wife Estalét – “equally spicy, versatile and dependant” – and made to mature with grace like a good marriage and quality red wine should. Aptly, this wine’s grapes are sourced from a farm named “De Liefde” in Wolseley, Breedekloof Valley.
In March 2012, Bizoe released a lusciously sweet Noble Late Harvest. Bizoe Tiny 2010 is made from Semillon and named after his father, Tiny aka André Neethling, ironically a dentist by profession but also “the nobleman” of the family.
The two Idioglossia wines in the stable include a Chardonnay and a Malbec, named after Rikus’s twin boys, who clearly had two distinctly different personalities from the outset. The word Idioglossia refers to the secret language spoken between twins. Yet, with two distinctly different varietals, the golden quality thread is indisputable in crafting Bizoe wines
Our Wines
Picked only from the best grapes
At Bizoe Wines, excellent quality is part of our
philosophy. ‘Less is more’ takes centre stage in our approach of minimal
interference and letting the wine tell a story of the place. The wine bears
testimony to our belief in creating individual and memorable wines that also
share our story and commitment. We will always only produce limited quantities,
ensuring a unique and unforgettable experience. Our high-end handcrafted wines
are intended to impress the most discerning wine lover and delight those new to
wine with its generosity of flavour.
