The Berrio Wines

The Beginnings

The making of The Berrio Wines started as an icon winemaking project with three ingredients: Francis Pratt (winegrower), Bruce Jack (Flagstone winemaker) and a very special corner of the universe, Elim.

Bruce and Francis spent much of their youth at a little fishing village on the southern limestone edge of Africa, called Arniston – aquamarine seas, cool summers, limestone smugglers’ caves, the engulfing blueness of the sky, warm white sand beaches, fresh shellfish and surfing. Every day here is an adventure of the senses.


As life marched carelessly on Francis started farming nearby just outside a hamlet called Elim at the southern tip of Africa. Bruce went on a global search of wine knowledge that took him from France to California and Australia. While Bruce was studying Oenology and Viticulture at Adelaide University, South Australia, Francis was contemplating the planting of vines.

Bruce’s viticultural thesis included an exploration of the viticultural potential of Darling on the West Coast and Elim on the southern tip of Africa.

When he returned they got together, watched some rugby, braaied some lamb chops and crayfish and started dreaming about capturing the essence of this special place in a bottle of wine.


Together they produced seven vintages of two different wines – a Sauvignon Blanc and a Cabernet Sauvignon. The unique colouring and taste of The Berrio wines soon had wine connoisseurs hauling out their maps to see exactly where this unusual wine was being made. When they discovered The Berrio wines were being grown near Elim on the southernmost tip of Africa, they realized they had discovered one of the Cape’s coolest wine regions. Surrounded by cool maritime breezes on three sides this was the perfect environment for making wine – especially Sauvignon Blanc!

Changing of the Guard

In March 2008 there was a changing of the guard at The Berrio.  Prompted by the sale of the Flagstone brand which meant no more joint ventures, the wine has been brought back to the vineyards. It is now being made on the farm where the grapes were grown instead of at Flagstone in Cape Town. Francis is now both wine grower and wine maker.  Both Bruce and Francis are rather excited by what this change will mean for The Berrio wines - making the wine where the grapes are grown can only make their dream of capturing the essence of this very special place more likely.

The 2008 vintages were produced under the guardianship of Bruce Jack. These include The Berrio Sauvignon Blanc 2008 and “Weather Girl 2008”, a Semillon / Sauvignon Blanc blend. Sauvignon Blanc buffs who’ve had a sneak preview of these wines are rumoured to be so knocked out by the all round everything of these wines that they think Elim should definitely be considered the Sauvignon Blanc capital of the world. The Berrio Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 was also released in December 2008.

2009 sees the release of the first of The Berrio vintages produced under Francis’ guardianship and are due to be released in December 2009. These include The Berrio Sauvignon Blanc 2009, the second vintage of “Weather Girl”, as well as the first Pinot Noir and first Shiraz for The Berrio. These will be released in 2010.

"There will always be a bit of Bruce Jack captured in The Berrio Wines" says Francis. "We're boyhood friends. We have a strong relationship and will always watch rugby, braai chops and crayfish and share a passion for The Berrio wine."