Susan McNaughton

Susan McNaughton is the winemaker at Graceland Vineyards in Stellenbosch, South Africa. In a cellar role like this, the work is measured by judgment: reading the season, deciding when fruit is ready, and shaping those choices into wine that carries the place cleanly. At Graceland Vineyards, McNaughton’s title sits inside that practical responsibility, where each vintage depends on timing, restraint, and close attention to what the vineyard is giving. At a glance, the role is singular, but winemaking rarely is. The job asks for patience in the cellar and discipline at the point where fruit becomes finished wine. McNaughton’s work at Graceland Vineyards reflects that kind of steady craft, with the vineyard setting in Stellenbosch adding the weight of South Africa’s best-known winemaking region to every decision made. Winemaking in Stellenbosch is always a negotiation between land and interpretation. McNaughton’s primary role places her in that exchange, guiding the wines from vineyard to cellar with focused attention. Through that lens, Graceland Vineyards is not just a workplace but the site where ripeness, timing, and judgment have to meet.