The Fledge & Co, Souzão, South Africa

Wine Type: Red

Grape(s): 100% Souzão

Country: South Africa

Region: Calitzdorp

Organic: No

Vegan: No

ABV: 13%

Winery: The Fledge & Co is what happens when two people (Margaux Nel and Leon Coetzee) don’t quite enjoy the status quo, when it's your nature to go against the grain, when you need to forge a path mostly in the unknown, eschewing common place convention and taking that first defiant flight from the nest.  

Hand crafting old school wines of integrity, unfaltering quality, defying perceptions of origin and being guided solely by the vine to showcase their passion - these are The Fledge & Co’s reasons for being. Wines whispering of their origin; wines benefitting from careful cellaring; wines that are best decanted & accompanied in good cheer with fine fare - that's their unwavering goal. 

With these tenets, a penchant for the unconventional, the pursuit of fluid dynamic, Fledge & Co set about labouring away in the vineyards across the Cape of Good Hope to craft with care a nest of fledglings. 

The endeavour of crafting wine relies on a small battalion of helpers, but when everything is done by hand that number multiplies exponentially and without the hard working vineyard crews, farmers & cellar team it'd be an impossible task. Fledge & Co don't own vineyards, but are exceptionally fortunate to work with some of the finest vines and growers scattered across the Cape. All fruit is hand harvested & vinification is traditional with minimal additions to fully express the site, varietal & vintage. 

Quite possibly the 7th generation winemaker of the Nel's of Boplass in Calitzdorp, the quiet hamlet at the heart of the Klien Karoo. Destined to work with the vine, she holds an MSc (viticulture) from the University of Stellenbosch - she's now busying herself with a MBA from the USB - and has travelled widely to the wine producing countries. Besides being an academic leviathan, she's the winemaker of Boplaas Family Vineyards; as the '"chief in charge" voice of reason & science, assistant vigneron & co-owner of The Fledge & Co. She enjoys fine wine, travelling with Eyewitness Guides, the sound of the ocean and catching afternoon naps; wishes to walk the Inca trail & take a photography course; while being allergic to caffeine and outlandishly illogical statements. 

Raised in the far North Eastern Cape, transplanted to Riebeek West in the Swartland & "stranded" in the Karoo - Leon’s family have always been involved in agrarian pursuits. From his commerce degree training at Maties he went onto learning wine from the very bottom with the guidance of a few old timers, a fair amount of tasting, readings, a little travel & even more tasting. Like a kid in a candy store among vines & wines, he's the "touchy feely", go with your gut, stubborn as an ox, the "and company", vigneron & co-owner of The Fledge. He enjoys rock 'n roll music, culinary pursuits, working with barrels, Chile & wine; thinks he can speak foreign languages (in his defence he can speak isiXhosa), wishes he could farm livestock & raise ethical meat. 

This is the 10th ever certified table wine bottling of Souzão - a Portuguese grape often used in fortified wines and prized for the incredibly dark inky wine in can craft. 

Tasting Notes: A roly-poly buxom vintage from vines grown on deep red ancient Hutton soils of Doornbosch, abounding with juicy hedgerow fruits, exotic spice, bright acidity and a savoury twang. Unfined and unfiltered. 

Tim Aktin's South Africa guide 2026: "This the Fledge’s tenth vintage of this “humble and faithful donkey” variety, this comes from a single site on the Doornbosch farm in Calitzdorp. Showing the colour and acidity that are part of Souzão’s DNA, this has some subtle, stony reduction, flavours of bramble, redcurrant and cranberry and an unabashedly chewy finish." 92 points. 

Pairing: Enjoy lightly chilled paired with rustic country fare; fine cheese and charcuterie or a BBQ with a few lamb chops.