ABOUT
Yardstick is a collaborative venture between a chef and a winemaker wishing to explore the common ground of their chosen crafts, and to use their networks to develop a direct relationship with their customers.
The chef, Peter Tempelhoff,
The winemaker, Adam Mason,
“….throughout the past 15 years I have spent building my reputation and expanding my repertoire as a chef, I have always maintained an open mind to new influences and inspirations. What would life be without new experiences? I keep learning all the time, and that is one of the greatest driving forces in my life. Constant innovation, yet improving on the standard bearers.”
“…I love the journey between the primary agricultural product and the final article. In my chosen profession it happens to be following the grape from the vineyard to the bottle, but Yardstick allows the chance to follow food from the garden to the table.….”
The synergy: Same work ethos, same generation, parallel career paths working the hard yards. Be it in grimy kitchens for psychopathic head chefs or gigantic cellars driving out rivers of wine for bellicose cellarmasters, Pete and Adam have been there and done that, and Yardstick is where they chose to invest their own time and energy.
The winemaking is very simple, but often this is the most difficult and elusive path to follow. Knowing when not to interfere is what it is all about.
Fortunately we have brilliant vineyards from which we source our grapes. From the initial vintages of 2009 and 2010 which hailed from Herold (high above the town of George on the Outeniqua pass) to the 2011 vintage, Elgin origin 2011 Chardonnay and Pinot noir, we have been really fortunate to have found the right people on the ground, ensuring the most important ingredient is of the highest standard, and perhaps more importantly, unique in style!