Graceland is a small family operation and the whole family
plays a role: Susan has been the driving force as viticulturist, winemaker
and marketer; Paul attends to the finances and administration and everyone,
even the children, lend a hand in the cellar. When the dogs (two dalmatians,
a German Shorthaired Pointer and an Anatolian sheepdog) start to eat the
grapes off the vines, we know it is time to pick.
Consulting winemakers produced
the first three vintages but Susan McNaughton took over the role of full-time
winemaker in 2002. Graceland's situation against the slopes of the Helderburg
in proven red wine territory together with diligent viticultural practices
and the passion of an owner winemaker has combined to produce elegant
wines
full of flavour.
To redefine the 'Graceland' name tag a friend suggested
developing the theme of The Three Graces as part of the label. Consequently
Baron Jean
Baptiste Regnault's famous painting of the tastefully entertwined 'Three
Graces' from the Louvre has been used to adorn the front of the bottle. Legend
has
it that they were the physical embodiments of Beauty, Joy and Charm which
symbolise the essential characteristics of Graceland wine.
