Entrepreneur Jocelyn Hogan Wilson spent four years searching for the perfect chenin blanc vines to launch her Hogan range.
Hogan Wilson says she only produces two wines to keep her volume small enough to visit each barrel consistently and “personally take on its journey from vine to bottle”.
The first wine produced was the Hogan chenin blanc in 2014 which is sourced from a site in Joubertskloof, Swartland, from old bush vines.
“I spent four years looking for chenin blanc of this quality to launch my wine brand. It is by far my favourite South African white varietal and hence, I thought it fitting to start my wine brand with a chenin blanc from this very special site.
"My wines are fermented naturally and sulphur levels are kept as low as possible, but at a level that will not compromise the longevity of the wine.”
In 2015, she added the divergent red which is a blend of cabernet sauvignon, cinsaut and carignan.
“I would pair the Hogan chenin blanc 2016 with chicken liver paté on toasted brioche or honey glazed duck breast. There is something wild and unusual that the carignan varietal brings to the divergent blend and I have found gamey dishes like pulled wild boar on pappardelle or slow-roasted Springbok shanks work well with this wine.”
Hogan Wilson said she would be spending her Women’s Day with her family playing tennis with them in the morning and then enjoying a lovely wintery meal on the farm.
“I have a wish and a thought that my mother sent me recently that I would like to pass onto other women - our generation is becoming so busy trying to prove that women can do what men can do, that women are losing their uniqueness. Women weren’t created to do everything a man can do. Women were created to do everything a man can’t do,” she adds.
Speaking on working in a male-dominated industry, Hogan Wilson said this “occasionally has its challenges, but on the whole, I find that there is a great support network between the smaller independent winemakers that I am associated with.
"Everyone is keen to help each other and share knowledge (regardless of gender) which is so inspirational and exciting.”
She believes women bring a female touch to winemaking, finding that female winemakers’ wines tend to be more nuanced and delicate.
The winemaker started Hogan Wines in 2014 after working at various other wineries for 10 years.
“I decided to go this route as I wanted more flexibility in my job to make the wines I wanted to and to spend more time with our children. My business is a one-lady band so my day is always varied from winemaking, marketing, vineyard work to accounting”
Some of her wines will be shown at the upcoming Women of Wine South Africa (WoWSA) Festival which takes place on Sunday, from 11am to 4pm in celebration of Women’s Month.
This takes place at the Candlewoods Boutique Venue in Centurion, and also features craft beer, gin and spirits made by women.
In addition to the unlimited tastings on offer at WoWSA, guests will have the option of purchasing a wide variety of foods. There’s everything from mini bunny chows served with sambals, cheese platters,
lasagna, salads, paellas and tacos.