Chris Williams was saved from a legal career by the discovery of wine while studying at the University of Cape Town. A holiday job on Klein Constantia Estate fired his imagination and passion and he decided to study viticulture and cellar technology at Elsenburg Agricultural College in Stellenbosch.

After overcoming the culture shock of the academic transfer to the comparatively conservative medium of Elsenburg, Chris graduated from there in 1994, along with classmates Marc ‘Boekenhoutskloof’ Kent and Eben ‘Columella’ Sadie. (Of course their nicknames at the college were not quite as august-sounding as these well-known names in Cape fine wines.)

Chris’s first duty was as assistant winemaker at Meerlust Estate under Giorgio Dalla Cia where he worked from 1995 to 2000. In 1997 he worked in Pomerol with guru oenologist Michel Rolland.

In 2000 Chris left Meerlust (kicking and screaming) to set up False Bay Winery, a subsidiary of UK-based Boutinot Wines, which wanted to stake a claim in the SA wine scene. After two years and  many lessons well learned, Chris left to launch his own wine label, The Foundry, in partnership with good friend James Reid (of  Kumala/Western Wines fame).

In 2003 Chris took up the role of winemaker at the lofty Delaire Winery in Helshoogte, while continuing to produce The Foundry wines. Then he was offered the opportunity to return to Meerlust as cellarmaster. He did so with alacrity in January 2004.

Links:
• Email Chris Williams
• Link to Meerlust Estate