Quirky and pleasurable profiles of the Tops own brands.

Because they don't feature in the Platter guide (for whatever eccentric reason), and they don't get the blowy PR press release treatment, many may not check them out on the Tops-at-Spar wine shelves. The supermarketer's own wine brands are well worth a try. And, at the top-end, it is less about the good price, but more the unusual and pretty characterful vinous pleasure they offer.

The Olive Brook range was developed for Spar by Tinus van Niekerk, and the past year or so has seen a standout, individual sauvignon blanc, as well as a red and white Bordeaux released as leaders in the series. Another sauvignon, a chardonnay and interesting chardonnay/pinot noir blend fill out the range, which also includes an imported Côtes du Rhône red.

Other own labels are the Carnival bag-in-box and Country Cellar, which offers 'value-for-money' in the typical supermarket way. With over 500 stores, own brands are big deal for Spar. All wine production, widely-sourced (with Orange River winery the hub for Country Cellar), is supervised by Van Niekerk. It's a big job, but he clearly has the skills and passion.

Yet, it is the top-end wines, boutique offerings really, that thrill him.

Tasting the Olive Brook Optimus 2010, a sauvignon that spent a remarkable 14 months on the lees, the Geminus 2009, a sauvignon blanc/sémillon blend in the French Graves style, and the typical Bordeaux-inspired, soft red Quintette 2007 (and the not nearly-ready-for-release 2011), one senses Van Niekerk's classic approach of delicate understatement, but lingering expression.

Working with the winemakers of Kleine Zalze, Spier and, for the next Quintette, with Le Riche, he takes a hands-on stance, steering final bottlings each to its individual, classically-informed, somewhat quirky, style. They are lovely and meant for the wine consumer who appreciates the unusual and the delicate. From vineyard to wine shelf, this is Van Niekerk's handiwork.

Talking about his job, he is bashful, but confident. "I am fortunate to have one leg in the world of wine marketing and the other in the technical and chemical side of it."

And a tad dreamy: "By being directly involved in the wine-making - especially the small quantities of special wines - one learns to be pragmatic, one contemplate, but one can also be the romantic who believes that the creation, preparation, handiwork and blending of good wine requires a kind of artistic skill."