Trade Winds’ heritage reflects the adventures of its founders, Martin Voigt and Richard Wells, long-time friends and wine aficionados. 

As an international aviator, Martin spent many hours navigating across the oceans of the world, contemplating the voyages of mariners in the days of sail, when the most critical and reliable of the elements affecting their explorations were the trade winds.

With trade being integral to these ancient voyages yet leveraging the modern cultural frame of micro-breweries, gin artisans, and, more broadly, the world of boutique, crafted, local produce, the concept of a wine business took hold. The ‘negotiant model’, where grapes and bulk wine are bought from various vineyards and wine producers and then aged, finished and bottled by independent winemakers, was started by the Dutch in the early 1600s and is still a common practice in much of the world. 

Capturing this essence of tradition and adventure, Trade Winds seeks to inspire your very own wine journey of discovery.

With decades of experience in the wine industry, Honorary Cape Wine Master and Master Blender Colin Frith, has long-standing relationships with several premier and smaller wine estates across the Western Cape. Based in Stellenbosch, every season he tastes and selects to source produce for the specific balance in the wine profile he is seeking to so expertly create for the Trade Winds label. The aim is to find components that can produce wines that are far greater than the sum of their parts. The brand, therefore, embodies an exciting and trusted choice in high quality wines.