Welcome to another episode of the Vinimark Podcast. With South Africa currently experiencing regular alcohol sale lockdowns, conversations over non-alcoholic wine, alcohol-free wine, or "de-alcoholised" wine have popped up more than usual. Which has in turn forced wine many die-hard wine lovers to explore some deep, dark, unchartered philosophical territory! They're having to take a look in the mirror, and ask, "would I still love wine if it didn't have the alcohol?" And who would I become if I started drinking it? Would I need to find a new circle of friends and start wearing pleather? Now for many people, the answer has been a flat out, emphatic "No!". For me personally, it was pure curiosity that lead me to take the plunge. I kept asking myself, like, "what is that? Is it even possible to get the alcohol out? And if you can do that, what else do you take with you?" I mean, like, we all learnt from watching Lord of the Rings that if you dabble in the dark arts, it eventually takes it's toll on your soul! So...to demystify it all, I have the privilege of chatting to the Head Wine Maker at Darling Cellars, Pieter-Nel Russouw, and also to Cape Wine Master and Spier Estate senior winemaker Anton Swartz.

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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