Gerhard Perold, the owner of Perold Wine Cellar in Chewton Mendip, Somerset, UK, has been dedicated to introducing the unique flavours and rich heritage of South African wines to the UK market since 2017.
Gerhard is the great grandson of Abraham Izak Perold, a South African chemist and viticulturist who was responsible for developing the Pinotage grape hybrid by crossing the French varietals Pinot Noir with Cinsault. (This was apart from the other 177 grape varieties he introduced into South Africa!). Abraham, who originally studied mathematics, physics and chemistry, then went on to gain his Ph.D in chemistry. On his return to South Africa from Germany and France, he eventually became the very first Professor of Viticulture at the University of Stellenbosch.
Gerhard has taken his obsession with his great-grandfather's work and made it his own life’s goal to bring not only the Pinotage but also the best of South African wines to the UK and to the world.
He established Perold Wine Cellar in March 2017, a hobby business that started off with a first order of 85 cases. Gerhard had taken on a world of the unknown. Cold Saturday Farmers markets and local country shows had given him the opportunity to test the waters and to find the right path to market South African wine. With lots of hard work and dedication, they found themselves in a place that enabled them to register Perold Wine Cellar Limited in June 2019, which just keeps on growing.
At Perold Wine Cellar, the team goes out of their way to provide UK customers with a range of wines from all over South Africa. They work closely with their wine friends, always on the lookout for interesting wines that have a story or connection. They offer a range of services including wine tastings and talks, wine club, trade supply, online sales, events, and wine tours.