The Grape Hustle is a husband-and-wife team, Nick and Jo Lowe, who promote a growing portfolio of local wine brands in the Garden Route. Their enthusiasm and work ethic has made quite an impression.
Nick and Jo Lowe, the dynamic duo behind The Grape Hustle.
Who is The Grape Hustle, and what is your mission?
Together, we are passionate about creating platforms for unique and incredible producers to present and deliver their wine and stories to both trade and private customers. We are an on-consumption-focused wine agency that operates within the Greater Garden Route (Riversdale to Prince Albert to GQ).
We are not just wine distributors. We are sales-driven agents, ambassadors and brand merchants.
How and why was the Grape Hustle established?
We have been obsessed with wine for the better part of 15 years – in particular South African wines – and we’ve come to love our South African wines along with their unique and interesting stories.
In 2020, we decided to make the move from Johannesburg and relocate to Plettenberg Bay, with the intention to “do something” with wine. Little did we know that our intention to create a small, bespoke wine agency would lead to something more intentional & focused over time.
Our goal was to create conversations around wine, to give the “unknown” guys a voice and create accessibility.
Which challenges in the wine industry do The Grape Hustle address?
Wine can be pretty intimidating if you let it, and we felt that the general consumer was a little scared and hesitant to try the unknown or unique. Which inevitably leads to “go with what you know”. So, our aim was to break those scary walls down and give these producers a voice to showcase their art in a glass!
The Grape Hustle now proudly houses a bespoke and carefully curated portfolio that showcases quality, highlights terroir, and over-delivers on a true South African Wine experience.
Which regions and wine types do you represent?
Our unique portfolio brings together a collective of like-minded wine estates, independent producers and winemakers who are determined to make the best wine possible within their respective regions. Precision, passion and quality all hallmark signs of these wineries.
These carefully sourced artisanal yet internationally exposed producers are brought together from areas ranging from Constantia, the oldest winemaking region in South Africa, to Stellenbosch, the most prolific, and Riebeek Kasteel (Swartland), the youngest and one of the most distinctive regions.
Collectively, the portfolio offers 182 unique wines, which range from internationally acclaimed Chenin Blancs to our Bordeaux-beating Cabernets, to the unusual suspects – Grenache Blanc, Grenache Noir, Cinsault, Albariño, Verdelho and Roussanne.
What achievements and recognitions underwrite The Grape Hustle’s credibility?
Our drive is embedded in our passion, showcasing producers on a scale that both entrenches brand love and product affinity while all the time ensuring our customers are given the opportunity to taste wine that over-delivers sip after sip.
With two producers on the Cape Winemakers Guild, one Winemaker of the Year (Tim Atkin) and three First-Growth producers sitting comfortably in the portfolio, we have no doubt that quality across our producers is a given!
Singing their praises…
“Our experience [with The Grape Hustle] has been absolutely incredible. It’s not just the name; they are truly kind of wine-hustlers. They have far exceeded our expectations! Their passion, their level of service … we just had a sales meeting and looked at their numbers, and they’re actually doubling their growth every year. We feel really privileged that they represent us; they’re such great people.” – Peter-Allan Finlayson, Crystallum Wines.
“Nick and Jo are a formidable, hard-working team who really ‘hustle’ as their name suggests. They are incredibly passionate about wine and the brands they work with. The two of them are also people people who have the ability to build and strengthen relationships with clients in the area. This means that my brand not only has a presence on the Garden Route, but a personalised presence. That personal touch is very valuable to me.” – Lucinda Heyns, Illimis Wines.
“We have been with them since 2020, and are only growing stronger every year. I think the producers they represent make a big difference. You won’t see the wines they have on every liquor store shelf. The two of them work very hard, but the farms also support them quite well. It’s important that we’re there with every festival. It feels like family and that is why it works so well. They keep each farm in mind when they draw up a wine list, knowing what will work and what won’t. The great thing about them is that they give everything; that’s something you don’t always get from agents. They’re great and we’re very lucky to be with them.” – Bernard Dewey, Chamonix Estate.
“I first met Jo and Nick [in October 2024] when we did trade shows in Plett and St Francis, so I don’t know a whole lot about them yet, but I have experienced the incredible relationships they have with their cellars and clients. They serve an incredible group of on-con and private clients and for us the partnership works perfectly for the area they serve. They also work mainly with niche cellars that are not available everywhere. We’re very proud to be part of the Hustle.” – Toit Wessels, Ridgeback Wines.
