Atlas Swift - Tazzelenghe Amaranth - St. Laurent - Souvignier Gris - Mavrud - Caino - Côdega - Chardonnay
Atlas Swift is Welma and Martin Smith's dream project. Welma became infected with the wine virus during her gap year in America, a gap year that would eventually last three years. While tasting a beautiful Bordeaux wine, Welma discovered that she did not want to study economics, but wanted to learn everything about wine.
Upon her return to South Africa, she started her studies in...
Atlas Swift is Welma and Martin Smith's dream project. Welma became infected with the wine virus during her gap year in America, a gap year that would eventually last three years. While tasting a beautiful Bordeaux wine, Welma discovered that she did not want to study economics, but wanted to learn everything about wine.
Upon her return to South Africa, she started her studies in Vinology & Agriculture in Wellington with a clear goal in mind: to one day make her own wine!
Welma started her career as a microbiologist in the wine laboratory of MCC specialist Graham Beck (in Franschhoek). After learning practically everything about the organic side of wine from the lab, she went to work as a sommelier at a luxury resort in Sabi Sands (near the Kruger Park). With the help of her employer, she was able to go to Bordeaux for a few months to follow one of the best sommelier training courses in the world. After being a sommelier for a few years, she started working at winery Spier in Stellenbosch, but she did not lose sight of her big dream.
In 2016 she met winemaker Martin Smith. He worked for Newton Vineyards in Napa Valley, California, for ten years, and then at the highly renowned Vilafonté in Paarl. Martin and Welma fell in love and shared their passion for wine together. Martin had started his own wine label Paserene in Franschhoek in 2017 and Welma was still working under the wings of Spier at the time, but in the evenings of 2019 the couple worked on their new project: winemaking together!
Franschhoek's chardonnay expert
Through love and fascination for chardonnay, the plan arose to make chardonnays from different wine regions, in order to make the origin of the grapes tangible. Before they knew it, they had several vineyards at their disposal and the party could begin. The grapes come from two cooler and two warmer wine regions (Vermaaklikheid, Cederberg, Wellington and Robertson, respectively). Later, Welma and Martin also found a vineyard in Franschhoek, where they now have a wine cellar and tasting room.
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Atlas Swift is Welma and Martin Smith's dream project. Welma became infected with the wine virus during her gap year in America, a gap year that would eventually last three years. While tasting a beautiful Bordeaux wine, Welma discovered that she did not want to study economics, but wanted to learn everything about wine.
Upon her return to South Africa, she started her studies in Vinology & Agriculture in Wellington with a clear goal in mind: to one day make her own wine!
Welma started her career as a microbiologist in the wine laboratory of MCC specialist Graham Beck (in Franschhoek). After learning practically everything about the organic side of wine from the lab, she went to work as a sommelier at a luxury resort in Sabi Sands (near the Kruger Park). With the help of her employer, she was able to go to Bordeaux for a few months to follow one of the best sommelier training courses in the world. After being a sommelier for a few years, she started working at winery Spier in Stellenbosch, but she did not lose sight of her big dream.
In 2016 she met winemaker Martin Smith. He worked for Newton Vineyards in Napa Valley, California, for ten years, and then at the highly renowned Vilafonté in Paarl. Martin and Welma fell in love and shared their passion for wine together. Martin had started his own wine label Paserene in Franschhoek in 2017 and Welma was still working under the wings of Spier at the time, but in the evenings of 2019 the couple worked on their new project: winemaking together!
Franschhoek's chardonnay expert
Through love and fascination for chardonnay, the plan arose to make chardonnays from different wine regions, in order to make the origin of the grapes tangible. Before they knew it, they had several vineyards at their disposal and the party could begin. The grapes come from two cooler and two warmer wine regions (Vermaaklikheid, Cederberg, Wellington and Robertson, respectively). Later, Welma and Martin also found a vineyard in Franschhoek, where they now have a wine cellar and tasting room.