La Brune

La Brune was born from winemaker Nico Grobler’s friendship with Vigneron Bruno Lorenzon of Domaine Lorenzon in Mercurey. After regular visits to Burgundy for harvest, Nico fell in love with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and set out to create wines with the finesse and restraint known from Burgundian traditions. An accomplished winemaker with many accolades under his belt from spending a decade at Eikendal Vineyards in Stellenbosch as cellar master, Nico now applies the same passion at La Brune, which focuses exclusively on cool-climate wines with natural acidity. The range reflects his vision of creating wines with freshness, purity and great ageing potential. 

Nico Groblier is known for making world class Chardonnay and Pinot Noir from the Elgin Valley in the Cape South Coast of South Africa. Elgin is located 40 miles southeast of Cape Town and just 8 miles from the Atlantic Ocean, helping to bring cooling winds and early-morning mists. Primarily known for growing apples, Elgin has a cooler climate and produces some of the country’s best Burgundian-style wines. This Chardonnay comes from La Brune’s high density estate vineyard planted on Table Mountain sandstone soils. The 2024 vintage was one where power met elegance. There was high sunlight intensity in January with three heatwaves which increased power, richness, and texture in the grapes. Still, this wine speaks of its cool climate origins with high acidity, tightness, and length at its mineral core.