Francois Van Zyl
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Francois Van Zyl, the fourth winemaker of Kanonkop Wine Estate, grew up in Robertson, a town nestled in the heart of South Africa’s Breede River Valley wine region. Growing up there, Francois never discovered his passion for wine until attending a special tasting at the Robertson Farmers Union in April 1996. This formative experience was hosted by Beyers Truter, then Kanonkop’s second winemaker who later became known as the “Prince of Pinotage”. Beyers gave a tasting in which he presented all the best wines he had made until then
“Tasting the 1991 vintage of the Kanonkop Paul Sauer Blend, my mind was blown. I had never really drunk or appreciated wine, but this red wine left an immediate and lasting impression on me,” Van Zyl recalls.
On the verge of deciding which career path to pursue, Francois chose to take a risk and follow this newly discovered passion for wine. Despite his family having no ties to the industry, he pursued his winemaking studies at Elsenburg Agricultural College, and after graduating became the winemaker at Laibach Vineyards in 1999.
And so, his winemaking career began directly across the road from Kanonkop. During his tenure at Laibach he had the opportunity of working in Europe during his holidays completing 10 vintages that brough a wealth of knowledge and experience to his winemaking. Among those experiences were vintages in Rioja, Margaux, Slovenia, Serbia, and Pomerol, of which the most impactful was the latter in the Bordeaux region of France, introducing Van Zyl to Old World tradition and winemaking precision. Here he discovered his love for Cabernet Franc and Merlot.
“Never in a million years did I think I would come full circle back to Kanonkop, the wine estate that started my journey in wine all those years ago,” he reflects.
A defining moment came in 2022, when Kanonkop acquired Laibach, rebranding it as Ladybird Vineyards. With this acquisition, Van Zyl’s long-standing proximity to the estate came full circle as he officially joined the Kanonkop team, becoming part of its living history.
In November 2024, he was appointed Head Winemaker, succeeding Abrie Beeslaar and assuming stewardship of the Kanonkop cellar, almost 30 years after that first encounter with Kanonkop.
While Kanonkop’s winemaking philosophy has been carefully guarded over generations, balancing tradition with innovation, Van Zyl brings with him a depth of experience and quiet confidence.
