Julian Naik loves wines … and enjoys nothing more than sharing his passion with other would-be vinophiles.
A few years ago, Julian Naik was happily ensconced in a corporate career, sipping on beer and the occasional big brand wine. Now, as co-founder of Spirits & Bubbles, he’s become an eager advocate for South Africa’s heritage estates – and he’s eager to share both his learnings and his passion with other would-be vinophiles.
Don’t know your merlot from your malbec? Here’s a little secret. You’re not alone. True, our wines might be highly regarded throughout the world, but for every person who likes to sniff and twirl their glass, commenting on the fragrance of leather and old couch, there’s another whose knowledge stops at the fact that they prefer red to white.
The problem, says Julian, is that those of us who don’t know much are so intimidated by those who do, that we’re reluctant to ask the questions that will get us ordering the perfect wine, every time. That’s why he loves setting up private tasting functions – so that he can educate wine lovers, just as his own palate has been schooled.
Julian’s journey started back in 2014, when he received a call from a friend he’d met during a work experience stint in London. “He was working for a company that exported drinks to Africa, and was looking for someone who could open a door to the South African market,” he recalls.
Although Julian didn’t know much about the industry at the time, he was quick to accept the challenge. Leaving his job in risk management, he set up Spirits & Bubbles to import and distribute premier drinks to a market looking for new experiences. The company’s first product was a tequila. Then, it added Masottina, known to produce the world’s best Prosecco, to the portfolio.
It was when Cape Site Specific – a conglomerate of winemakers specialising in small batch, site specific wines – joined Spirits & Bubbles that Julian’s imagination was truly ignited. “There is something incredibly special about these wines. It’s not just that they’re delicious – that’s a given. You can taste the love in every bottle – and the heritage, too, as some of these wines are made by families who have lived on the same farm since the 1600s.” Each sip is redolent of the hospitality of the winelands, Julian adds: “I always joke that I’ll be in trouble if I visit Durban and I don’t pop in on my relatives – but that’s nothing compared to the grief I receive if I go to the winelands and don’t visit our winemakers.” Nor is a visit just a few hours of chatting and tasting – often, it turns into an all-day affair.
This is the spirit which Julian hopes to convey through his wine tastings. He explains that these became more popular during the Covid-19 pandemic … as lockdowns eased, people were reluctant to mix in large groups, but still wanted to enjoy a social occasion. Initially, the company teamed up with restaurants to host small groups, but as word spread, many people started asking if they could host their own tastings at home.
Julian says that the popularity of the events is on the up, as Joburgers are enthusiastically embracing wine culture. “Once, we would have stuck to the names we knew. But with restaurants like Acid and Proud Mary creating a platform for smaller, lesser known estates, we’re becoming more willing to try different estates and different varietals.” That’s good news, he adds. “One of our winemakers reckons that although South African wines are very well-priced at present – you’d pay around double for a wine of the same quality in, say Napa – we have only 10 years or so until the industry catches up to the rest of the world.”
The beauty of our market is that “most South African wines are good – you actually have to look quite hard to find a bad wine”. But, of course, when you know more, you can make better choices. That’s why Spirits & Bubbles tastings concentrate on getting you to try wines you might otherwise overlook, explaining what makes them taste unique (think terroir, climate and all of those professional sounding things), and giving you a basis of comparison. For example, your tasting usually includes around five different wines (any more than that, and your palate will get too tired to pick up the differences between them), so you can choose different wines from a single estate, or the same varietal from different estates. The choice is yours – which is kind of the point, Julian explains. “Our events are entirely customisable. You can host your tasting at a restaurant, which is great because we’ll work with the team to create a great food pairing, or you can have it at your house, where it might be more intimate and comfortable.” If that’s your go-to, Spirits & Bubbles can provide the glassware (important, because the wrong glass can change the taste of the wine) and even advise on food – did you know, for instance, that garlic and chili-laced dishes are a no-no, because these flavours drown out the wine’s properties, while pizza is actually a great pairing food?
Eventually, Julian would love to establish his own venue to educate wine lovers – not an academy, exactly, but a place where people who appreciate what goes into each bottle have the chance to meet, mingle and toast. Cheers to that!
Julian’s top three tipples for the festive season
Although Julian would happily recommend all the bubbly in the Spirits & Bubbles portfolio, these bubbles get a special thumbs up for summer sipping:
- Benguela Cove Estate Collage (R300): Bold, heavy-bodied, complex and full of delicious dark fruit, this is a true homage to Old World French-style wine – best enjoyed with steak.
- R. D. O. Levante 2022 Extra Dry (R500): A powerful fruity aroma. In the mouth it is lively, saline and well structured with hints of quinces, lemons and herbs leaving a lingering finish.
- Paul René Brut Rose (R250): A beautiful pink hue with notes of strawberry, candy floss and fine spicy notes. The wine opens with expansive cherry and almond on the palate and finishes with fine minerality.
Details: All wines available from www.spiritsandbubbles.co.za
Text: LISA WITEPSKI • Photos: MEGAN BRETT • Location: PROUD MARY, Rosebank
