Michael Fridjhon is one of the most pre-eminent thought leaders in the global wine and spirits trade.
I met with him at his offices at Reciprocal Wine Company in Johannesburg. Over a Nespresso and a box of Turkish Delight, he divulged decades worth of South African wine history, and how some of that history has been shaped by Johannesburg, Gauteng’s city of gold.
I’ll Bring the Wine: For decades, the Reciprocal Wine Company has been South Africa’s leading fine wine and spirits merchant. An importer and distributor of many of the world’s most famous wines, Reciprocal focuses mainly on family-owned properties where multi-generational experience and institutional memory ensures the commitment to a long-term vision. Accordingly, the company has become the go-to source for South African wine lovers who seek a variety of high quality, international wines, spirits, and wine accessories. These include the infamous Louis Roederer Champagne and accessories like Riedel glassware.
Michael’s razor-sharp wit made his business day column appointment reading for years. Rmb-winex has become an annual calendar event that has become a wonderful online interactive space for wine enthusiasts during the global Coronavirus pandemic. He has also been at the heart of the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show, a prestigious competition. He was also part of the team behind The Colour of Wine, a groundbreaking book by Harriet Perlman and subsequent film directed by Akin Omotoso about the South African wine industry’s relationship with race.
A recipient of the French Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite Agricole, he was the Louis Roederer International Wine Columnist of the Year in 2012 and is an honorary life member of the UK's Circle of Wine Writers.
He teaches and directs the Wine Judging Academy run in association with UCT’s Graduate School of Business and has been an adviser to the South African Minister of Agriculture. He is the author, co-author or contributor to over 30 books, writes a weekly column for Business Day, contributes to various international wine publications and provides all the wine scores for WineWizard, an eminent website.
Michael Fridjhon speaks for himself, and in this conversation you’ll hear a variety of views on various topics. You’ll also hear him mention some of Johannesburg’s most preeminent artists, an array of South African winemakers and some of his personal recollections of the past - as well as a poignant view of the present.
Through my conversation with Michael, I quizzed him and he indulged me in a complex conversation about politics and economics - about culture and the cultured.
Pop of Culture and The Dish: Internationally acclaimed artist, Michael Kentridge and Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) brought Kentridge’s production of The Magic Flute to South Africa in 2007. In addition, they committed to raising funds to provide matinee performances to children from previously disadvantaged communities, free of charge.
Kentridge granted six South African wine producers the opportunity to use selected Magic Flute images for their label design.
Michael Fridjhon, who shared a long association with RMB through the RMB WineX Festival provided a shortlist of leading South African red wine cellars. The cellars selected to participate in the initiative included Hamilton Russell Vineyards, Boekenhoutskloof, Meerlust, Quoin Rock, Rustenburg and Tokara.
This was a creative initiative between the wine industry, culture and the arts which rose to meet the occasion of this significant outreach initiative.
Reciprocal Wine Company: reciprocal.co.za
Wine Wizard: winewizard.co.za
WineX: winex.co.za
