Trade Winds Wine
Our Story
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.
Platter’s acclaim crowned a splendid debut year for
trade winds wine
Trade Winds entered the market in July 2022 with a Sauvignon Blanc 2021 and a Cabernet Sauvignon 2019, both of which, on debut, were met with favourable acclaim at prestigious competitions.
The 2023 edition of Platter’s SA Wine Guide honoured Trade Winds Wine with one of the highest accolades bestowed by the popular wine annual, that of Platter’s 2023 Newcomer Winery of the Year. This prestigious title is awarded to a producer debuting in Platter’s and achieving the highest scores for their wines:
- 5 stars (an esteemed pinnacle 95 points or more on the 100-point rating scale) for the Trade Winds Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 &
- 4½ stars (94 points) for the Trade Winds Sauvignon Blanc 2021.
This acclaim in South Africa’s most authoritative wine guide crowned a splendid debut year for Trade Winds Wine, which yielded several other illustrious awards:
Trade Winds Sauvignon Blanc 2021 triumphed as the best Sauvignon Blanc at the 2022 Trophy Wine Show, winning the Sunday Times Trophy with a top score of 97/100.
The Trade Winds Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 was awarded a Double Gold medal at the 2022 Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards. Gran d’Or (Double Gold) wines score between 93 and 95.99 points. It earned a Silver Medal, with 90 points at the 2022 International Wine & Spirit Competition (IWSC).
The journey continues ...
Trade Winds Wine released their Trade Winds Sauvignon Blanc 2020 in late 2023, followed by the Trade Winds Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 vintage and adding a Trade Winds Rose 2023 to the portfolio in 2024.
The Trade Winds Sauvignon Blanc 2020 was awarded a Silver medal – 91 points in a blind tasting at both the:
- Trophy Wine Show 2024
- Fine Wine Awards 2024
Following the European style, Trade Winds Wine believes Sauvignon Blanc should be given time to fulfil its potential — going against mainstream opinion of “who can get their Sauvignon Blanc from grape to table the fastest” as an annual industry event. Our winemaker specifically selected the grapes from low-yielding old vineyards in Stellenbosch, which historically are well known to produce Sauvignon Blancs with a long-lasting character.
The Platter’s 2025 Awards have now added the following star ratings to the portfolio:
- TW Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 – 4.5 stars – Outstanding
- TW Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2019 – 4 stars – Excellent
- TW Sauvignon Blanc 2020 – 4 stars – Excellent
- TW Rose 2023 – 3.5 stars – Very Good
Immerse yourself in the rich tradition of our wine adventure, where every toast celebrates new horizons and is a testament to the bonds that bring us together.
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