Kleine Karoo Winery

Running a liquor business in a wine-producing region involves understanding terroir in ways that city retailers rarely need to. Stock rotation matters when you're metres from producers whose new releases come in small batches. Temperature control becomes critical during Montagu's summer heat, when wine begins deteriorating if stored above 18 degrees. Local winemakers know who stocks their work properly, tourists ask for recommendations based on elevation and vintage, and locals expect inventory that changes with the season. The mechanics of retail here mean knowing your region's microclimates almost as well as the growers do.