Eight questions for the interested an interesting: Chris Albrecht

Chris Albrecht is proof that great winemaking doesn’t need grandstanding. As Bouchard Finlayson’s quietly precise custodian, he’s spent years letting place, climate and restraint do the heavy lifting. Trained at Stellenbosch University and shaped by numerous global harvests, he worked alongside founder Peter Finlayson for seven years before taking the reins in 2017. He’s been racking up gold medals ever since. We put him through our eight questions.

What’s the best book you’ve read in the past year?

I didn’t make enough time to read recently, but really enjoyed I am Pilgrim by Terry Hayes. I love the fast pace of crime fiction and spy thrillers. Throw in a bit of political intrigue and I’m hooked. I’m saving Deon Meyer’s latest novel, Skorpio, for a thrilling weekend.

How do you keep fit?

Harvest tends to double as a fitness bootcamp, as I enjoy being physically involved. I try to swim in the summer months and own a rowing ergo – which I even use infrequently. Does dog walking count?

Week night, lowkey restaurant go-to? 

Pear Tree in Hermanus. Try the spicy Korean chicken wings!

What is the one artwork you’ll always love, and why?

In the traditional sense, Pierneef is a favourite – you can almost smell his storm clouds. Most of Dylan Lewis’s big cats also fascinate me.

Do you have a hobby? 

I’m a keen diver and spearfisherman. Apart from the calm and complete escape from everyday rhythm that a day at sea offers, preparing and cooking your catch is very rewarding. 

The one unusual item you can’t live without? 

Motion-sickness tablets – see above.

Who was your high school celeb crush? 

Sandra Bullock.

Three songs that you’d take to a desert island?

Three Little Birds by Bob Marley and the Wailers is obvious. Rockin’ in the Free World Live, currently my favourite tune by all-time bests Pearl Jam. Nothing Else Matters by Metallica, live with the San Francisco Symphony to add some class.

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_{Top image: Nicole du Toit/Bouchard Finlayson.}