Winemaker Notes
Fram is the personal passion project of Thinus Krüger, founded with the promise to “always sail into unchartered waters, to boldly search for whatever grapes lie behind the next hill, over the next horizon.” After over a decade making wine for other people, Thinus took his extensive experience to explore the outer reaches of the Cape wine lands, the here be dragons area of the wine map. In the spirit of exploration and discovery, Thinus works closely with farmers in the remote region of Clanwilliam, an area where the heat is fierce, yields are low, but quality is pristine for those who know how to manage the elements. In search of other special corners across the Western Cape, the regions of Robertson and the Swartland are also represented in the Fram range. Thinus asserts a quiet confidence - he knows grapes, and he knows how to let them shine. Vintage after vintage, Thinus never fails to impress in the quality and balance of his wines.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Literally meaning "the black land," Swartland takes its name from the endangered, indigenous "renosterbos" (translating to rhino bush), which used to be plentiful enough to turn the entire landscape a dark color certain during times of year. The district, attracting some of the most adventurous and least interventionist winemakers, excels in robust and full-bodied reds as well as quality fortified wines.