welcome
We are a boutique vineyard situated in Klein Drakenstein to the east of the town of Paarl, in the heart of the South African premium red wine region.
We grow exclusively Cabernet Sauvignon and produce single vineyard wine exclusively from our own grapes.
values
Simplicity - great wines are made from great grapes. We tread lightly in the vineyard, and touch lightly in the cellar, allowing Nature to do what she does best.
Honesty - in guarding the purity of grape and juice, and dedication to crafting wines that remain true to cultivar and terroir.
Respect - of nature and her gifts, of time-honoured traditions, of each other, and the miracle that is wine.
If you share these values, we believe our wine is for you!
terroir
Our vineyard is located at altitude ranging between 300 to 340m, high on a ridged foothill (hence "The Hill") against the western slopes of the Hawequa Mountains.
Soil composition is Glenrosa (decomposed granite) higher up, and well drained Oakleaf soils lower down.
The land is strongly sloped with a north-westerly to westerly aspect, resulting in cooler mornings and exposure to afternoon sun.
Predominant winds are wet north-westerly winds in winter, and the infamous Cape south-easter in summer. While Klein Drakenstein is known for heavy wind, being situated on a ridge leaves our vineyard particularly exposed to damaging wind.
Winters are cool and wet, summers warm and dry. Elevation ensures summer temperatures averaging 3-5°C lower than typical conditions lower down in the Paarl valley, which can become hot and stifling in summer. The sloped aspect creates cooling mountain breezes that maintain air movement through our vines year round.
vines
The vineyard is made up of 3 blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon.
Originally established in the late seventies by Nederburg under their legendary cellarmaster Günter Brözel, the vines had changed hands in 1997, receiving less care after that. By 2010, the blocks were neglected, sparsely populated and unproductive. All blocks were uprooted after the 2013 harvest, and the land left to rest and recover.
Two new blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon vines were established in 2016, maintaining the original Cab-only planting philosophy. A further block was added lower down 3 seasons later. 2019 saw the first harvest substantial enough to produce a meaningful volume of wine.
While the upper blocks are now well established, the younger block has only been harvested since 2023, and still on its way to reach full potential. We are looking forward to further improve character as the vines dig deeper to unearth increasing complexity.
Vines are exclusively tended by hand, and all grapes are hand-picked.
We make wine exclusively from our own grapes. Consistent with our location in the Paarl district, our wine is certified as Wine of Origin Paarl under the WO scheme.
The vineyard was awarded "Single Vineyard" status in 2022, and all wine produced since then has been certified as Single Vineyard Wine.
cellar
We aim to produce accessible wine that can be enjoyed without extended bottle maturation. The intent is wine that can be enjoyed off the shelf, but that would also allow some further cellaring.
Grapes are processed off-site by our veteran wine-maker and his team. Wine-making follows conventional tradition.
On arrival, grapes are destemmed and crushed into concrete open fermenters, with daily punch-down and pump-overs. The must is fermented dry at constant temperature before pressing.
Malolactic fermentation takes place in barrel, with post-ferment racking and further racking prior to bottling. The wine is monitored via chemical analysis to ensure stability during the maturation process.
Botling, labelling and packaging are done on-site at the cellar. We utilise exclusively locally produced glass and imported French composite cork.
sustainability
Wine, more than most other things in modern life, is “of the earth”, and we have a responsibility to protect that earth. This is something we take seriously.
We implement the sustainable agriculture guidelines of the "Integrated Production of Wine" IPW scheme. Our vineyard has been IPW certified since inception. Some of the initiatives implemented include:
• using chemicals that are environmentally responsible, and using them sparingly
• cover crop between rows for weed control in preference to herbicide
• low-till practice to limit N2O and diesel emissions (only disturb soil to plant cover crop in autumn)
• utilising water efficient drip irrigation
• prioritising manual vineyard tasks in preference to mechanised operations to limit emissions
The vineyard is set in natural fynbos, including several protea species. Nearby pine and eucalyptus forestry operations, as well as alien species that have become locally naturalised including various Australian acacia species, leave the fynbos vulnerable to invasion. Eradication is an on-going project requiring painstaking manual removal to restore the indigenous fynbos to its natural glory.
Wine production can be resource intensive. We aim to reduce the impact by:
• limiting mechanised operations
• maximising use of renewable energy
• limiting materials used – lightweight glass bottles and recycled packaging
• re-using and refurbishing barrels rather than new
contact
Please feel free to contact us.