Marsh Stellenbosch makes own wine

Global insurance giant gets hands dirty understanding a risky business

50 Dorp Street will soon be more than just the Stellenbosch address of global insurance broker Marsh Africa. It will also be the label of their first red wine – a Cabernet Sauvignon / Shiraz blend.

Marsh in Stellenbosch works with many wine clients, from growers to final producers, bottlers, marketers, wine investors and everything in between. As such, it is important that Marsh as a business experience the wine making process first hand, “to identify and understand the risks associated with wine making” says Frik van Wyk, Business Development Executive, Marsh Africa, Commercial Practice.

To this end, Joubert Ferreira, Branch Manager, Marsh Stellenbosch, and colleagues Frik van Wyk and Heleen van der Poel recently completed a Garagiste wine making course presented by Dr. Wessel du Toit, Lecturer in Oenology, Department of Viticulture and Oenologyat the University of Stellenbosch.

The Garagiste course offers a wine making kit containing all the requirements needed to make wine the traditional way, naturally. No additional consumables or equipment are necessary, nor is previous winemaking experience required. A self-explanatory booklet provides step-by-step instructions on the use of the kit, “even describing how to produce a coffee-style Pinotage, if desired” adds van Wyk.

Today, 17 April, will see an unused strong room in Marsh Stellenbosch’s historic main building become both winery and cellar when the pre-mushed Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz grapes arrive and employees begin producing their own wine. “The thick walls and high ceilings of these old buildings are perfect for creating the cool conditions required for the production and maturation process” explains Ferreira.

The occasion of the first wine making at 50 Dorp Street will be appropriately celebrated with a wine and food pairing event.

17 April is only the first step in the wine making process. It will take several months before the wine will be ready for blending and bottling. “By early next year, however, we expect to be able to produce about 120 bottles of our first wine. 50 Dorp Street will be served at our social club and, if the quality is good enough, may even be presented as gifts to clients and suppliers” says van der Poel.

The team intends producing a new vintage every year. For now though, since there is so much that can go wrong during the process, Marsh expects the learning curve to be quite steep.

“I am sure this first batch will produce a few surprises along the way and we may end up with 50 shades of shortcomings” smiles van Wyk.

Despite the challenges, the process will be invaluable in assisting the Marsh Stellenbosch team better understand the risks faced by their diverse range of wine industry clients while developing and enhancing insurance and risk management tools to manage these risks.