Erika Obermeyer Wines, South Africa/ 2022

About the Company

Erika Obermeyer Wines was established in 2016 by Erika Obermeyer, who produces small-batch, hand-crafted, distinctive, and terroir-specific wines from selected vineyards across the Winelands in South Africa.

“My aspiration is to create wines that skillfully convey South Africa’s unique vineyard sites and extraordinary diversity, capturing a sense of place while respectfully reflecting the intrinsic character of the fruit. By sourcing and selecting special vineyard sites across the Western Cape winelands, and pairing them with the most suitable varieties, I have produced wines that embody the very best of these distinctive and diverse regions,” explains Erika.

Erika received 5 stars for the first release of her Erika O wines and was awarded Platter’s Newcomer of the Year in 2019, and in December 2021, Erika was also inducted as a member of the Cape Winemakers Guild, stating, “It is such a tremendous honor to join the Cape Winemakers Guild and to be recognized as one of the flag bearers for South African wine.”

Their Challenge

In 2024, the Erika O team celebrated their third vintage in their own facility, having moved into a brand-new cellar and tasting space in October 2021. After six years of utilizing custom crush and rented facilities, being able to work in their own space was a dream come true.

They were thrilled to finally have an environment that provided the perfect conditions, tools, and equipment to carefully craft their special small-batch parcels into even more remarkable wines.

The ethos of the Erika O brand has always centered around focus and attention to detail, and with their own dedicated facility and new SRAML equipment, they were able to elevate this commitment to an even higher level for every single step in the process, from grape to bottle.

Our Solution

Recommended by small, independent brand owners, winemakers, and industry colleagues, they purchased the SRAML Pneumatic Wine Press VP21e and the DS7-C Destemmer with Crusher in 2022 through our amazing distributor in South Africa, ServoSol. Erika chose SRAML products for their competitive pricing, attractive minimalist design, and user-friendly operation. “The machines run quietly and smoothly without creating excessive noise,” adds the owner.

Best suited for boutique to mid-sized wineries, the SRAML VPe Eco Pneumatic Membrane Press, chosen by Erika, combines simplicity of design with innovation for ultimate performance. Equipped with a number of programmable pressing cycles and an improved drain surface to maximize juice yields, the SRAML VPe series provides gentle pressing of the grape mass and significantly reduces processing time.

The SRAML DS7-C Destemmer with inline sliding crusher features a loading hopper and a mechanically controlled auger to feed grapes into the PVC cage for destemming. It has length- and inclination-adjustable rubber tips on the destemming shaft and an electronic speed variator to control cage and shaft rotation. It’s simple to operate, easy and quick to assemble and disassemble without tools, and provides easy access to the interior for efficient cleaning and maintenance.

Key benefits

According to Erika and her team, the SRAML winemaking equipment has transformed their winemaking process, making it both efficient and user-friendly. They appreciate its minimalist design, which allows for easy operation and cleaning – a game-changer after long days of crushing grapes. The equipment not only saves valuable time during the cleaning process but also ensures a high standard of hygiene. With its gentle handling of the fruit during both destemming and crushing, they’ve experienced remarkable recovery rates, resulting in juice of exceptional quality for pressing.

“We are also very happy with the customer service, and it is a pleasure to have the backing of a team that shares the same quality values we strive for with every bottle of wine,” Erika describes, reflecting on the excellent customer service they receive from ServoSol, SRAML’s distributor in South Africa.

“We love our SRAML destemmer, crusher, and press. Not only do they add a very pretty and shining glamour to our cellar space, but they are also easy to use, of a high standard, and assist us in delivering an excellent product.”

Erika Obermeyer, Erika Obermeyer Wines