The sport of rugby can be a curious thing. It combines physical strength and aggression with civility and camaraderie. Those who play it well are often formidable of heart, spirit, and physique. They are men who leave their mark not only on the field, but on all the facets of their life.

Jan ‘Boland’ Coetzee was one such man. A farmer’s son from Piketberg, a scholar of viticulture and oenology at Stellenbosch, and a Springbok who carried the pride of South Africa onto the global stage. Strong in body, sharp in mind, and generous in spirit. Jan commanded a strong presence. He embodied all that rugby demanded of him, and if not more so, the true character of a good full-bodied red wine.

In 1968, rugby brought Jan and Kanonkop together. When Paul Sauer, patriarch of Kanonkop, was seeking a successor for the Farm Manager, Oom Danie Rossouw, his son-in-law, Jannie Krige, put Jan’s name forward. In November of that year, Jan joined Kanonkop as its first official Winemaker. A decision that would change the trajectory of our estate, and of South African wine itself.

“Jan was a farmer through and through”, Paul Krige recalls, “I would come to the farm on weekends for the horses.  Jan would be out and about caring for the vineyards, the horses, and the entire farm. Coming from a farming background, it is no surprise he was so successful at Kanonkop farming grapes and making fantastic wine.”

Johann Krige recalls – “He was a man of the soil. He understood soils much better than most people at the time. He knew exactly what to plant and where. He knew what we had to plant on Kanonkop. I even recall him removing some of our vineyards to plant more Cabernet Sauvignon. We were already making great wine from the existing vineyards, but Jan knew the potential these noble reds would have in the Kanonkop soil. He understood the natural elements and how to bring them together to produce excellence without meddling in the natural way of things.”

Yet, Jan’s legacy cannot be measured in bottles alone. He carried a deep commitment to people. Under his leadership, Kanonkop became one of the first wine farms in South Africa to radically improve the lives of its workers. Homes with electricity and running water were built. Sports fields and a community hall followed soon after. The sense of family and respect that lives on at Kanonkop today is part of his legacy we carry forward.

As we mourn his passing, we also celebrate his extraordinary life. We are grateful for the memories, for the lessons, and for the example he set as a winemaker, sportsman, friend, and mentor.

We raise a glass to honour a true legend of South African wine. Vaarwel, Jan, we will miss you.

Wyn groete,

The Krige Family