Other
Tremayne Smith
Winemaker
- Discipline
- Other
i. Biography
Head winemaking at Fable Mountain Vineyards in Tulbagh, South Africa, is framed here by accumulation rather than spectacle. Tremayne Smith arrived there after a sequence of cellar and vineyard posts that built method step by step: assistant work at Mullineux and Leeu Family Wines, earlier responsibility at Sijn Wines, and harvest labor at De Trafford. The result is a profile built on practice, not performance.
The Path
Tremayne Smith trained at Elsenburg College (2007), beginning with the kind of formal grounding that gives a young winemaker both structure and vocabulary. From there, he entered the working side of the cellar at De Trafford as a harvest worker (2008), where the pace would have been brisk, the season demanding, and the lessons immediate. It was a beginning rooted in the practical realities of winegrowing, one that set the tone for the years ahead. From there, Tremayne moved to Sijn Wines as Assistant Winemaker and Vineyard Manager (until 2012), taking on a dual role that bridged cellar work and the vineyard itself. The title suggests a close relationship with both fruit and finished wine, with the rhythm of the vine informing the decisions made later in the cellar. It was the sort of position that requires not only technical skill but also attentiveness, patience, and an instinct for timing. He then became Assistant Winemaker at Mullineux and Leeu Family Wines (2012–2016), a period that marked another important stretch in his development. In that role, the focus sharpened further, and his experience widened in a way that would later support the responsibilities of leadership. By the time he arrived at his next chapter, he had already moved through the essential disciplines of harvest work, assistant winemaking, and vineyard management, each one contributing to the sense of assurance with which he would go on to guide his own estate. Since 2016, Tremayne has been winemaker of Fable Mountain Vineyards, while also serving as founder of The Blacksmith (since 2014). The two dates overlap in a way that suggests parallel energies: one rooted in the long view of an estate role, the other in the entrepreneurial impulse of founding something of his own. At Fable Mountain Vineyards, the title of winemaker has become his central professional identity, and it is there that his ambitions are now most clearly expressed.
The Work Today
Head winemaker at Fable Mountain Vineyards is the current brief, and it carries the duties of continuity as much as production. The work implied by that role is about more than making wine: it is also about shaping a house style, protecting consistency, and thinking in years rather than seasons. His own words state the aim directly: “I want to see our name established among the world’s leading estates.”
Signature
Tremayne Smith’s signature wines trace a range that moves between still and sparkling, structured and more open-textured expressions. Night Sky Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre Varietal 2018 sits alongside Barebones Pet Nat 2023, Barebones Colombar 2022, Barebones Cinsault 2022, and Hell Yeah 2024, together mapping a portfolio that spans grounded depth, freshness, and contemporary release styles. Tremayne's signature dishes include Night Sky Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre Varietal 2018, Barebones Pet Nat 2023, Barebones Colombar 2022, Barebones Cinsault 2022, and Hell Yeah 2024. Taken together, they sketch the contours of a winemaking style that spans still and sparkling, classic and playful, with a range that moves from the grounded depth of Night Sky Syrah Grenache Mourvèdre Varietal 2018 to the more expressive, contemporary feel of Barebones Pet Nat 2023 and Hell Yeah 2024. The Barebones Colombar 2022 and Barebones Cinsault 2022 further round out that picture, suggesting a portfolio that is as attentive to texture and freshness as it is to character.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Tremayne
What is Tremayne Smith's current role?
As of 2026, Tremayne Smith is Head Winemaker.
Where did Tremayne Smith train or study?
Tremayne Smith trained at Elsenburg College.
What recognition has Tremayne Smith received?
Young Gun.
