Marylou Nash
 Woman winemaker Mary-Lou Nash is the chief winemaker, viticulturist, tractor driver, marketer, and general "Jill of all trades" at Black Pearl Vineyards. She received her BA from University of New Hampshire in 1989, and then taught English in Japan for two years before going on a three year world tour. The travelling ended when she joined up with her father in 1995 on his newly acquired property in South Africa. Ten years later with a diploma in International Wine from The Cape Wine Academy, two South African daughters, and permanent residency, Mary-Lou calls Paarl home.
 
A boutique cellar was established after six years of experience at Windmeul Cellars down the road. A 2001 Shiraz was our first release which went like cold lemonade on a hot summer\'s day! We have now added a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Shiraz/Cab blend to our line up, giving us a mere 1700 cases produced from our single vineyard.
Mary-Lou tends to the vineyard year round and makes sure only premium, healthy, phenolically ripe grapes are delivered to the cellar door in February. The grapes are cooled before a gentle crushing, open fermented in 600 kgs lots, basket pressed, and put straight into barrel where the wine matures for a year. The wine is further bottle matured for at least a year before release. |
