Cape Wine Company

Cape Wine Company was founded in 2010 by Erlank Erasmus, a qualified winemaker who had honed his craft at Fairview Wines before striking out on his own. Based in Paarl, the company operates as a negociant — sourcing, blending, bottling, and exporting wines from across the Cape Winelands rather than farming its own vineyards. It is a model that allows Erasmus to draw on the best fruit from multiple regions while offering flexibility, scale, and consistency that single-estate production cannot match.

After more than a decade in operation, Cape Wine Company exports to 23 countries worldwide, underpinned by over 20 years of combined expertise in bulk wine procurement and international shipping logistics. The company offers end-to-end services: from vineyard sourcing and winemaking through to bottling, labelling, and freight management. For brands that need a reliable South African wine partner, Cape Wine Company provides the full supply chain.

The company produces several proprietary wine ranges for export markets. The Nature Reserve collection sources organic grapes from the Swartland region and carries Fairtrade certification — environmentally sustainable, ethically responsible wines that appeal to conscious consumers in Europe and beyond. The Frank range takes a no-nonsense approach to quality everyday wine. The Palate Collection is a contemporary, accessible range designed to recruit new wine drinkers with approachable flavour profiles and expressive branding, featuring wines like Fat Fig Sauvignon Blanc, Percy Pear Chenin Blanc, Wild Strawberry Rosé, Spice Box Shiraz, Red Cherry Pinotage, and Bursting Berries Merlot.

Erlank is supported by Marlene Trollip, who manages day-to-day operations including procurement and logistics. The company also supplies wine in bulk to local and international clients, making it a significant behind-the-scenes player in the South African wine export industry. Cape Wine Company's headquarters at 133 Main Road in Southern Paarl serves as both office and production base.

What distinguishes the company from a simple bottler or broker is Erlank's hands-on winemaking involvement. As a qualified winemaker, he personally oversees blending, quality control, and the stylistic direction of each range. The Nature Reserve wines, for instance, are made with the same attention to fruit selection and cellar work as any boutique estate wine, but delivered at a scale and price point that make them accessible to everyday consumers across Europe, Asia, and beyond. For the international wine trade, Cape Wine Company represents a reliable, winemaker-led gateway to the diversity and quality of the South African Cape. The company also offers project management services, assisting international brands in getting their wine from vine to bottle to shelf anywhere in the world.