Fairview is a family owned wine and cheese business located in Paarl, 40 miles from, and within sight of, the natural glory that is Table Mountain. Charles Back, the owner of Fairview, is the third generation of Backs to head the family business since it was purchased in1937 by his grandfather who had immigrated to South Africa from Lithuania in the early part of this century. He started a small business in Paarl, which was a success. He then decided to start farming during the First World War, buying the farm Kleinbabylonstroen, which eventually became Backsberg wine estate, and is now owned by Charles’ cousin, Michael. Fairview had already been in the grape business for many years before the Backs bought the farm. The first European settlers on Fairview received their title deeds in 1693 from Simon Van der Stel, the second Dutch governor of the Cape of Good Hope. Fairview quietly prospered through the years as a mixed farm. Details of the history of the farm are sketchy, though there is record of a local doctor prescribing tea-spoons of Fairview fortified wine to help cure ailing children in the latter part of the19th century. Fairview was put on solid foundations by Charles Back, the grandfather of the present owner. When he passed away, his son inherited the farms. Cyril Back guided Fairview to prosperity through hard work and careful management. Fairview raises about 600 milking goats and a number of sheep for the same purpose. In addition, a large quantity of cow’s milk is purchased. The cheese factory processes between 12000-15000liters of cows milk and 1000 liters of goats milk per day. This makes Fairview the largest producer of specialty cheeses in South Africa, offering blue, white mold, washed rind cheeses, cream and cooked curd cheeses. Fairview was one of the first farms in South Africa to bottle wine on its own premises, with the first bottling in 1974. Fairview has been best placed amongst South African wine producers to capitalize on new opportunities offered in the global wine market. The wines and viticultural program has been planned with a firm ear to the demands of the world’s most competitive wine markets. Fairview is now in the enviable position where red wines, mostly from premium varieties, make up over80% of all the wine produced on the farm. The acquisition of a new farm in the Malmesbury District has allowed the emphasis to further shift toward red wines. The farm workers have embarked on a brave new project to take charge of their destinies. The Fairvalley Workers Association is managing the development of the farm Fairvalley, which has been purchased with funds provided by Fairview. The Workers Association produced their first wine in 1998, a Bush Vine Chenin Blanc, which has been a great commercial success. Fairview has twice received the Dave Hughes Trophy for the best South African red wine as the prestigious International Wines and Spirits Competition. The future is bright. The new red wine production facility at Fairview will have a 600 ton capacity. The winery will be strictly gravity fed (no pumps) to emphasize the gentle handling of the must through the production cycle. Another Charles ‘Back to the Future’ approach to emphasizing quality in Fairview’s wines. As Fairview consolidates the plans put into place in the past few years, they will be able to de-liver greater quantities of better wines. The planting of Rhône varietals, Pinotage and other spicy varieties will give the quality and balance of product to compete in the increasingly tougher global wine market. It is with these resources that Fairview intends to remain the most innovative producer of commercially successful wines in South Africa.