Archie Cameron (Long Neck Wines) talks to Curious Wines
More From: Curious Wines
Posted March 2nd, 2010 by Matt Kane | No Comments
Long Neck Wines have been with us from the beginning. The instantly recognisable packaging is only the start, as they are wines that genuinely live up to their price tag and help keep South Africa’s reputation as a trustworthy producer of quality wines firmly intact.
Credit must go to the purchasing expertise of head wine boffin Duncan McEuen, one of the ‘three amigos’ at Long Neck. Another man behind the giraffe, and another of the three amigos, is Archie Cameron. He tells us that while the USA remains an important market for Long Neck, the migration to other parts of the world have helped turn it into a truly successful global brand. They have even made it to the Antarctic!
1. What is the highlight of making your own wine and what part of the process do you most enjoy?
The highlight for me is walking into the winery and smelling that unique musky and heady combination of wood and grape. It is quite literally, intoxicating!
Not wishing to sound overly capitalistic but I do love watching a container depart for some far away place. That’s always exciting. Sending our wine to Australia, where they make their own very fine wines, is doubly so!
I got a real buzz when I was told that our wines were very popular in one of the Antarctic research stations. Can’t get much further away than that! Check out the photos.
2. Is there a grape variety (perhaps more than one) that you believe is the worlds best when grown in South Africa?
We grow most of the various grape varietals here in South Africa, but to single out one and say it is the best in the world would be presumptuous. My personal favorite is Chardonnay, although our best seller is Shiraz.
3. If you couldn’t make wine in South Africa any more, where would you go?
I suspect South America. I have never visited Argentina or Chile but I think I could enjoy the ‘Hispanic’ way of life more so than say Oz or NZ. Europe is too crowded for me! Needless to say they are great countries for wine production.
4. What was the inspiration for the Long Neck brand?
When we came up with the idea of the label, we wanted to say ‘young, trendy, cool, hip and South African’ all in one go! I think we have succeeded.
5. What do you feel is the long-term outlook for the South African wine industry?
Excellent! More people will experience South African wines this year than ever before, because of the World Cup. I reckon that our wines will become regular items on everyday shopping lists.
Thanks to Archie Cameron and Lucy Godfrey at Long Neck Wines.
Our range from Long Neck.















