There are few South African winemakers with a track record like Chris Williams.
Over the past three decades, he’s earned a reputation for making some of the country’s most respected wines, first at Meerlust and, since 2001, through his own label, The Foundry.
Named after the old foundry buildings in Paarl where the wines were originally made, The Foundry has always been a deeply personal project. Chris has never felt the need to build a large portfolio. Instead, he’s focused on a handful of varieties that continue to fascinate him, refining them vintage after vintage.
Spend any time tasting with Chris and you’ll hear the same themes come up again and again: freshness, balance, texture and drinkability. Every wine is made with a clear idea of what he wants it to be. The Viognier captures the variety’s perfume without becoming overpowering. The Grenache Blanc combines citrus, texture and gentle phenolic grip. The Roussanne, now one of the defining wines in the range, balances exotic aromatics with remarkable precision, while the Grenache Noir and Syrah favour fragrance, elegance and depth of flavour over sheer weight.
One of the things we admire most about Chris is his clarity of purpose. Every decision is made in service of the finished bottle. He talks as much about freshness and drinkability as he does about vineyards or winemaking, and it’s evident throughout the range. These are wines with perfume, texture and precision that invite another glass rather than demanding your attention.
The latest releases mark a fresh chapter for The Foundry, with beautifully updated labels that give the range a new look while the wines remain unmistakably Chris: thoughtful, balanced and made with confidence and knowing exactly what style he wants to achieve.
Chris has always believed Viognier belongs in cooler Stellenbosch sites rather than warmer inland vineyards. Sourced from a single vineyard just 6km from False Bay, this wine is his answer to the variety’s tendency towards excess; restrained, fresh and shaped by ten months of lees ageing in seasoned French oak.
“Grapes from Stellenbosch. 50% spontaneously fermented, 50% inoculated. Matured for 10 months in barrel. The nose shows flowers, peach, orange and a hint of bee’s wax. The palate is well balanced – good weight and texture and well integrated acidity before a savoury finish. Alc: 13.21%.
One of South Africa’s pioneering Grenache Blancs, this wine is drawn from two adjoining Voor Paardeberg vineyards, each harvested a week apart and vinified separately before blending. Fermented across oak, stainless steel and terracotta, it’s a wine that reflects Chris’s fascination with texture, structure and balance.
“Grapes from Voor Paardeberg including 60% own fruit. Matured for 10 months in a combination of oak, stainless steel tank and terracotta. Some flinty reduction before lime, lemon, white peach and pineapple on the nose. Full yet poised – dense fruit matched by punchy acidity, the finish long and saline. Alc: 13.5%.
94 | Distinctive” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
If there’s one variety that’s become synonymous with The Foundry, it’s Roussanne. From Voor Paardeberg vineyards, this release is the result of years spent refining his understanding of one of the Rhône’s most demanding grapes, balancing its naturally rich character with freshness and precision.
“Grapes from own Voor Paardeberg vineyard. Matured for 11 months, half in old oak and the other half in terracotta. Citrus, peach, honey and quite a pronounced waxy note on the nose. The palate is broad and textured, even chunky, with moderate acidity and an intensely savoury finish. Alc: 13.14%.
Produced from a two-hectare bush vine vineyard on a farm in the Voor Paardeberg, this wine reflects Chris’s preference for picking at full flavour ripeness rather than high sugar levels. The result is a lighter, more fragrant expression of Grenache that celebrates freshness and site expression.
“Grapes from own Voor Paardeberg vineyard. 30% whole-bunch fermentation. Matured for 11 months in old oak and terracotta. Alluring aromatics of cherry, strawberry, fynbos and spice while the palate combines good fruit concentration with bright acidity and chalky tannins, the finish nicely dry. An example of the variety that is as moreish as it is refined. Alc: 13.1%.
The cornerstone of The Foundry range, this Syrah comes from mature vines planted in 2000 on the Voor Paardeberg. Chris has spent the past several years refining both the vineyard and his approach to the wine, with the aim of producing a Syrah defined by perfume, finesse and depth rather than sheer power.
“Grapes from own Voor Paardeberg vineyard planted in 2000. 40% wholebunch fermentation. Includes 6% Roussanne. Matured for 14 months, 80% in old oak, 20% in terracotta. Some flinty reduction before red and black berries, a hint of peach, and pepper on the nose. The palate is rich with quite polished tannins but still possesses plenty of momentum thanks to bright acidity. Alc: 13.38%.
The Foundry Has New Vintages | August 2026
There are few South African winemakers with a track record like Chris Williams.
Over the past three decades, he’s earned a reputation for making some of the country’s most respected wines, first at Meerlust and, since 2001, through his own label, The Foundry.
Named after the old foundry buildings in Paarl where the wines were originally made, The Foundry has always been a deeply personal project. Chris has never felt the need to build a large portfolio. Instead, he’s focused on a handful of varieties that continue to fascinate him, refining them vintage after vintage.
Spend any time tasting with Chris and you’ll hear the same themes come up again and again: freshness, balance, texture and drinkability. Every wine is made with a clear idea of what he wants it to be. The Viognier captures the variety’s perfume without becoming overpowering. The Grenache Blanc combines citrus, texture and gentle phenolic grip. The Roussanne, now one of the defining wines in the range, balances exotic aromatics with remarkable precision, while the Grenache Noir and Syrah favour fragrance, elegance and depth of flavour over sheer weight.
One of the things we admire most about Chris is his clarity of purpose. Every decision is made in service of the finished bottle. He talks as much about freshness and drinkability as he does about vineyards or winemaking, and it’s evident throughout the range. These are wines with perfume, texture and precision that invite another glass rather than demanding your attention.
The latest releases mark a fresh chapter for The Foundry, with beautifully updated labels that give the range a new look while the wines remain unmistakably Chris: thoughtful, balanced and made with confidence and knowing exactly what style he wants to achieve.
The Wines:
R265.00Add to basket
The Foundry Viognier 2024
Chris has always believed Viognier belongs in cooler Stellenbosch sites rather than warmer inland vineyards. Sourced from a single vineyard just 6km from False Bay, this wine is his answer to the variety’s tendency towards excess; restrained, fresh and shaped by ten months of lees ageing in seasoned French oak.
“Grapes from Stellenbosch. 50% spontaneously fermented, 50% inoculated. Matured for 10 months in barrel. The nose shows flowers, peach, orange and a hint of bee’s wax. The palate is well balanced – good weight and texture and well integrated acidity before a savoury finish. Alc: 13.21%.
93 | Serious” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
R265.00Add to basket
The Foundry Grenache Blanc 2023
One of South Africa’s pioneering Grenache Blancs, this wine is drawn from two adjoining Voor Paardeberg vineyards, each harvested a week apart and vinified separately before blending. Fermented across oak, stainless steel and terracotta, it’s a wine that reflects Chris’s fascination with texture, structure and balance.
“Grapes from Voor Paardeberg including 60% own fruit. Matured for 10 months in a combination of oak, stainless steel tank and terracotta. Some flinty reduction before lime, lemon, white peach and pineapple on the nose. Full yet poised – dense fruit matched by punchy acidity, the finish long and saline. Alc: 13.5%.
94 | Distinctive” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
R265.00Add to basket
The Foundry Roussanne 2024
If there’s one variety that’s become synonymous with The Foundry, it’s Roussanne. From Voor Paardeberg vineyards, this release is the result of years spent refining his understanding of one of the Rhône’s most demanding grapes, balancing its naturally rich character with freshness and precision.
“Grapes from own Voor Paardeberg vineyard. Matured for 11 months, half in old oak and the other half in terracotta. Citrus, peach, honey and quite a pronounced waxy note on the nose. The palate is broad and textured, even chunky, with moderate acidity and an intensely savoury finish. Alc: 13.14%.
92 | Serious” Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
R365.00Add to basket
The Foundry Grenache Noir 2022
Produced from a two-hectare bush vine vineyard on a farm in the Voor Paardeberg, this wine reflects Chris’s preference for picking at full flavour ripeness rather than high sugar levels. The result is a lighter, more fragrant expression of Grenache that celebrates freshness and site expression.
“Grapes from own Voor Paardeberg vineyard. 30% whole-bunch fermentation. Matured for 11 months in old oak and terracotta. Alluring aromatics of cherry, strawberry, fynbos and spice while the palate combines good fruit concentration with bright acidity and chalky tannins, the finish nicely dry. An example of the variety that is as moreish as it is refined. Alc: 13.1%.
94 | Delicious” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
R365.00Add to basket
The Foundry Syrah 2022
The cornerstone of The Foundry range, this Syrah comes from mature vines planted in 2000 on the Voor Paardeberg. Chris has spent the past several years refining both the vineyard and his approach to the wine, with the aim of producing a Syrah defined by perfume, finesse and depth rather than sheer power.
“Grapes from own Voor Paardeberg vineyard planted in 2000. 40% wholebunch fermentation. Includes 6% Roussanne. Matured for 14 months, 80% in old oak, 20% in terracotta. Some flinty reduction before red and black berries, a hint of peach, and pepper on the nose. The palate is rich with quite polished tannins but still possesses plenty of momentum thanks to bright acidity. Alc: 13.38%.
93 | Serious” – Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za
READ MORE ABOUT THE FOUNDRY WINES