A Story of Friendship

How Five Friends Rediscovered Their Inner Child (And Made a Wine About It)

Children learn by being inquisitive. By being excited about the unknown. There's a Peter Pan quality to it,  that pull toward exploration and adventure, that willingness to learn through new experiences, good and bad, all while laughing from the bottom of their bellies.

Somewhere along the way, most of us lose that. Life gets serious. Curiosity gets scheduled around calendars and commitments.

We didn't want to lose it entirely.

We are five friends from the global wine and liquor industry, some of us close for years, others little more than acquaintances when this all began. A few times a year, we’d gather at 96 Winery Rd restaurant in Stellenbosch to share a stunning meal, pour some awesome wines, and simply be together.

What started as dinners slowly became something more. Our friendships grew. Our stories got better, and yes, probably a little more exaggerated with each glass poured. We found ourselves cherishing these evenings, looking forward to them, wanting more of that same childlike atmosphere of excited curiosity. We wanted to build something lasting out of these growing, intimate friendships.

Maze started as a dream over one of those dinners. Then it became a concept, sketched out between courses and second bottles. And finally, with the 2024 vintage, we turned it into reality: a stunning Cape Mediterranean red blend, born from friendship, curiosity, and a shared refusal to grow up entirely.

We made Maze so that others could share in what we’ve experienced, to explore, to learn, and to have fun while doing it. Pour a glass, gather your people, and enjoy the maze.

 

Mike Minkley - A Story of Friendship