Kara Tara’s owner and winemaker Rüdger van Wyk grew up in the small coastal town of George, and – like many South African boys – grew up dreaming of playing rugby for the Springboks. Despite playing in his high school rugby team, that dream never quite happened… but the travels that came with the game did lead him to find his passion for wine.
As a young man, he frequently travelled to Stellenbosch and Paarl to play rugby, with these outings giving him his first view of vineyards. Rüdger’s older brother went on to study winemaking, sometimes taking his little brother inside the cellars for tasting.
Rüdger was hooked – and decided to join his brother by studying viticulture for himself. Along with a love of the wine itself, he is inspired by his late father, who was a keen gardener with a great deal of patience for watching things grow.
The name Kara Tara comes from that of a river that runs close by. In the Khoisan language this translates as ‘deep, dark shadows’, and it’s a fitting name for wines with deep flavour and a great sense of their heritage.
