Kara van Niekerk is from Durban, a beach town in South Africa.  She was raised in the European tradition of enjoying wine with meals and traveled extensively to enjoy skiing in Europe, art and history in London and culinary adventures in France & Italy. Following university studies in drama, film, multi-media and design, she spent two years traveling the world, including living in Greece for nine months before settling in San Francisco. A talented artist and designer, she gains inspiration from her internationally known interior designer mum & Judge / Advocate (Barrister), wine-collector, ocean-loving, free-diver dad.

Eric Matkovich, a native Californian, has a passion for life that encompasses business, snowboarding, water sports, culinary arts and fine wine. Only three years into his post-college stint in the competitive Silicon Valley tech world, Eric was picked by small but rapidly growing Cisco to expand business across the globe. He traveled throughout Asia, Australia / New Zealand, South & Central America, Western Europe and South Africa.  Eric’s experience and zest for taking on a challenge has built Cape Ardor into the largest exclusive retailer of top quality wines from South Africa.

Kara & Eric met in San Francisco. After months of working around their travel schedules, they finally found time to roam with wild animals on safari and enjoy memorable candle lit evenings laughing over glasses of wine. They married in Golden Gate Park in 2008 and reside in San Francisco.