Davidson, Dick (Richard Edward)
Wine consultant/agent for overseas importers of SA wine - owner of Fairseat label
Contact: davidson
Website: CapeWineMasters.
Dick completed the Cape Wine Academy Diploma in 1988 and was completed his Cape Wine Master studies in 1990. His research project was titled Alsace - An overall view of this unique French wine region. Dick still lectures at the CWA.
He now as his own wine label (Fairseat Cellars) which exports wine. He also has a range of wines under the Mountainside label.
Dick was born into a gold mining family and attended Potch Boys High and then University of the Witwatersrand. He then spent 25 years with Standard Bank in Johannesburg. During that time he developed an interest in wine and initiated a tasting group called Group 10 that focused on international wines. He left the banking world in 1990 and settled in Cape Town to become involved in the wine industry. He has recently started a Cape Town chapter of Group 10. Dick currently co ordinates the exports to USA for fellow CWM Peter Koff, and exports wines to associates in Germany and Holland. His best achievement to date has been an order for 26 containers of Sauvignon Blanc for a German discount house, which sold out in two and an half weeks. Circumstances permitting, he tries to travel to different wine regions whenever he can, focussing mainly on the traditional areas of France and Germany.
Wine activities: Dick participates on tasting panels for Wine Magazine, Diners Club, Wine Society, South African Young Wine Show and the Veritas Awards. He is a consultant to the Worcester wine region.
Special areas of wine interest : the Riesling varietal, and Germany and Alsace regions.
Other interests: Travelling, Golf, Food.
Dick is married to Gill and they have two grown up children.
