A tribute to a gentle giant

Remembering Arco Laarman – who poured his heart and soul into every bottle.

A few words from Johan...

I knew Arco from the very start of our winemaking days back in the early 2000s, it feels like a lifetime ago now. We shared many laughs, lessons and life experiences over the years.

He was a gentle giant – tall, soft-spoken, a little shy – but once he opened up, he had this warmth that could light up a room. He loved deeply, especially his wife Madeleine and daughter Zaria. Food and wine were how he showed his heart. I’ll never forget those joyful dinners at his place – the fire pit roaring, the smell of woodsmoke in the air… he poured that same love into every bottle he made. And you could taste it.

Losing him so suddenly reminds us all to cherish life, and savour every moment with the people you love. You never know when you’ll get the opportunity again. Arco, we miss you, and I hope to see you again someday.

Johan Kruger - Winemaker

Here’s to you, Arco

Arco Laarman didn’t come from a winemaking family. He grew up by a lake in a little town called Kosmos, where the nearest vines were hours away. But after a childhood trip to the Cape, he fell in love with wine. Not the taste – he was only 12 after all – but the craft. The cellars. The barrels. The way wine could bottle a moment in time.

“After this holiday, I bought my first wine magazine with Pieter Ferreira on the cover which at that time only cost 5 Rand and would read up on everything and everyone. My mother took me to the then Stellenbosch Wine Route tastings to learn more about the industry.”

At 19, he moved to the Cape to pursue his dream. After early harvests at Kaapzicht and bottling stints across the region, he was offered a job at Glen Carlou – one of South Africa’s most prestigious estates. By 2009, he was already Head Winemaker.

Arco wasn’t done there...

In 2016, he went independent, crafting expressive, soulful wines from carefully sourced grapes across the Western Cape. He loved Chardonnay and had a soft spot for Cinsault too. His Cluster Series paid tribute to the people who helped him along the way… mum, dad, his siblings, and many friends made through wine.

His greatest love, though, was for his wife Madeleine and daughter Zaria. Family meant everything to him.

Arco joined Naked during the Covid crisis, introduced by his friend Johan Kruger. He’d been down after a tough battle with cancer, but with your support he found his feet again, and started helping other winemakers who were in trouble too.

That’s just the man he was. Kind. Generous. Humble.

Today, we raise a glass to the man who poured his heart into every bottle – and gave more than he ever asked for.

Arco’s lasting legacy

It doesn't feel right for us to make anything from the sale of Arco's final bottles.

That’s why every penny of profit from his remaining wines will go towards a fund to cover his daughter Zaria’s full education – giving her the opportunities and security he would have wanted for her.

In this way, Arco’s generosity of spirit lives on. He’s still looking out for his family, and still leaving the world a better place than he found it.

His final vintages…

  • A new blend, made with love

    Arco's final creation is a Cabernet Sauvignon and Cinsault blend that’s bursting with red fruit and spice.

  • Plus two beloved classics

    The final vintages of his favourite Chardonnay and Cinsault – elegant, expressive and full of Arco’s signature charm.