TEAM RECHNER

Alicia studied B. Sc. Agric Viticulture & Oenology at the University of Stellenbosch, graduating in 1997. Extensive travels and winery work brought Alicia to McLaren Vale, Australia were she met her future Husband, Simon.

Growing up in the Fleurieu Peninsula of South Australia, Simon gained valuable experience as a cellar technician at Australian wineries such as Coriole, Chapel Hill, Tatachilla and D’Arenberg.

The Rechners lived in Australia for three years, working at well known wineries in McLaren Vale. During this time, Alicia became a frequent visitor to Germany, where she worked between vintages in the Mosel Valley. Her time in Australia taught her to work with precision in creating wines and maintaining quality throughout. Her time in Germany taught her to respect terroir: the Europeans have an intrinsic passion for wines and produce small quantities very successfully from their homes.

Alicia started as winemaker at Backsberg Estate Cellars in 2002. During her seven-vintage tenure at Backsberg, Alicia’s wine won numerous awards. She took her responsibility for the energy efficiency in the winery of South Africa’s only Carbon Neutral Estate, to heart, and produced top quality, environmentally conscious wines that received international acclaim. An excellent palate, an acute sensitivity to faults and her vital sense of quality characterises Alicia’s winemaking skills.

The Aussie charm of husband, Simon, combined with his technical know-how and customer-focussed approach, compliments Alicia’s scientific expertise to create the formidable Team Rechner.