Wines
Discover our two categories of wines: Core brands and connoisseur brands.
Our Core brands: simply the market leaders in South Africa, well known quality and sure value! Stil looking for something different, let us present you our connoisseur brands and let yourself be seduced by the best offer from little South African producers !
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AsaraTucked away just over the hills outside Stellenbosch, Asara has been producing exceptional wines for many years. Established in 1691, the farm's history dates back to the earliest days of winemaking in the Cape. Today, Asara is owned by the Rahmann family, who has invigorated the land with a new spirit since their occupation in 2001.
The new owner, Markus Rahmann says about his choice: "I know a good thing when I see it and my investigation into the history and potential of the farm made me comfortable with my decision." He believes that wine-making should be viewed in terms of partnerships - A partnership with nature to obtain the wine - A partnership to produce it and partnerships with retailers and distributors to make it readily available to the ultimate partner: the consumer.
The name Asara is derived from the names of the African gods of Earth, Sun and Sky - Astar, Asis & Asase - expressing the harmony in nature's elements which is reflected in their range of wines. This perfect union gives the wines from Asara their unique character, and has led Asara Wine Estate to become known as a premium wine producer. -
Fairview Fairview owns vineyards in the leading viticultural areas in the Western Cape, each with their own unique terroir. When Fairview began bottling wine under its own label in 1974, the farm operated as an estate, with all grape growing and wine production taking place on the Paarl premises. Charles Back abandoned the estate wine concept in the 1980s choosing rather to go where the terroir is, which opened up the opportunity to produce a wider range of wines, using grapes that are grown in optimal conditions.
Under Charles Back II s sure guidance, Fairview has come full circle: from its days as one of the Cape s earliest wine farms developed by French Huguenot Steven Verwey at the turn of the 17th century, to its current position as one of South Africa s most successful, enduring, innovative wineries firmly ensconced in the 21st century
Without a doubt, the most recognisable members of the Fairview team are the goats who call the famous tower their home. A place to dicover absolutely and a wide range to taste! -
Ernie ElsAs one of South Africa's leading ambassadors and one of the most recognisable faces in the world of sport, it is befitting that Ernie chose South Africa and Stellenbosch to produce his wine.
The idea was born from a long-standing friendship between Ernie and Jean Engelbrecht and based on the vision to produce a wine that would capture everything that Ernie stands for, big in stature and gentle in character. In 1999, Jean and Ernie established Engelbrecht Els Vineyards and in December 2004, opened their dream cellar on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain in Stellenbosch.
When the friendship and expertise of their respective professions came together, Jean and Ernie set out to create an extraordinary wine. Embracing the talents of winemaker Louis Strydom, who has produced the only South African wine to be nominated four years consecutively as one of the Top 100 wines in the world, they created the Ernie Els wine, a classic Bordeaux blend comprising of five varietals: Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot.
As Ernie is setting the standard in the international sporting arena, so are we dedicated to superior quality and excellence in this unique venture, says Jean. -
Rust en VredeFor 315 years Rust en Vrede has stood peacefully among the vineyards of Stellenbosch. Through centuries there were periods when wine was produced, but for the last 32 years their family have specialized in producing only red wine with the focus on Shiraz, Cabernet and Merlot.
The family and their ancestors have been grape growers since the early 1700 s and by moving to Rust en Vrede, became wine producers for the first time. In 1978 R&V produced its first wines of the modern era.
Many accolades have been bestowed upon the estate and some of the more memorable were when Rust en Vrede was chosen by President Nelson Mandela to be served at the Nobel Peace Prize dinner, hosting the King and Queen of Denmark for a lunch with my family at the Manor House, and when Rust en Vrede was nominated as the first South African red wine in the Top 100 Wines of the World. This honour was repeated for four consecutive years.
Rust en Vrede is a remarkable example of exquisite landscaping. At home and abroad, this unassuming Stellenbosch Estate has made a name for itself far beyond its modest, but infinitely charming, 55 hectares. -
Rupert & RothchildAt the foot of the spectacular Simonsbert Mountain in the Franschhock Valley lies the historic French Huguenot farm Fredericksburg, established in 1690 and now home to Rupert & Rotschild Vignerons. It was in the valley over 300 years ago that the early French Huguenots first discovered a terroir similar to that of certain winegrowing regions in France. Hence their decision to settle and cultivate vineyards here.
Rupert & Rothschild Vignerons is a partnership wine production between the Rupert family of South Africa and Baron Benjamin de Rothschild son of the late Baron Edmond de Rothschild of France. Rupert & Rotschild is the first winery in South Africa to be awarded ISO1401 Environmental Management Certification. They are deeply comitted to the preservation and conservation of the environment.
Rupert & Rotschild produce classic, elegant structured wine recongnized and distributed worldwide. View 3 Product(s)) -
La MotteIn 1695 a piece of land in the Franschhoek Valley was granted to German immigrant Hans Hattingh. In 1709 French Huguenot Pierre Joubert purchased the land and named it after the village of his birth in Provence, La Motte d Aigues. With the planting of 4 000 vines in 1752, viticulture was established on La Motte by Huguenot descendant Gabriel du Toit.
The farm passed through several owners before being acquired by the Rupert family in 1970.
Dr Rupert was internationally respected as a businessman who built a global luxury goods and investment company as well as a committed global conservationist. Today, La Motte owner Hanneli Rupert-Koegelenberg and her husband Hein Koegelenberg, CEO of La Motte
Situated in the beautiful Franschhoek Valley in South Africa s Cape winelands, La Motte is home to some of South Africa s finest wines, recognized internationally for their exceptional quality. -
Leopards LeapLeopards Leap Wines was initialy created for export market in the United Kingdom at the turn of the century by winemaker and business man Hein Koegelenberg with guidance from his late father-in-law, internationally respected businessman, Dr Anton Rupert.
Since then the wine, which is part of the RK portfolio of Wines, has rapidly gained an international reputation for providing excelent quality at affordable prices and the popularity of the brand has seen it expand its market to more than 25 countries worldwide.
Leopards Leap is based in the picturesque town of Franschhoek situated in the heart of South Africa s winelands, located in the Western Cape province which is bordered by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.The Cape winelands enjoy a Mediterranean climate with cool, wet winters and dry summers. The winelands boast diverse terroir ranging from semi deserts to rugged mountain with multi-directional slopes.
Winemaker Eugene Van Zil is one of South Africa most respected winemakers, having spent many years as lecturer training many of South Africa s globally acclaimed winemakers. Eugene says he was attracted to Leaopards Leap because it allowed him to forge new boundaries as a winemakers by creating a range for the consumer palate. Wines to be enjoyed every day, he enthuses. -
The Sadie FamilySequillo, Columella, Palladius are the only wines produced by the Sadie Family. Eben Sadie is responsible for work in the vineyards and cellar. He spent eigh years roaming the world in search of answers, and has worked with wine in Germany, France, Spain, Austria, Oregon and California, as wel as his native South Africa. In this way he has developed what he calls the sense of wine-the most important of al qualities needed for involvement in any aspect of the life of wine.
Their aim is to put the best possible picture of our landscapes and climate in a bottle and to try and capture it for the longest time posible. Every time we open such a bottle with a vintage declared on a label, that we may travel back, we may reflect on that place in time captured in a glass, as well as where we were at that time.
The press has a very good opinion of their wines from the Wine Spectator in the USA to the Decanter in the UK or even the press in France. The local Platter Guide awarded both wines of the Sequillo range with five stars in January. The Palladius was also awarded South African White wine of the year! -
Hartenberg EstateThe first settlers to cultivate the virgin land of the estate today known as Hartenberg were in 1692, when friends Cunraad Boin and Christoffel Esterhuizzen were granted permission to work the 60 morgen of the farm.
Even at this early stage the wine bearing potential of the soil was recognized and one of the first tasks that the two partners undertook was the clearing of the land to plant 2 000 vines.
In 1987, Bermuda-based businessman, Ken Mackenzie, purchased Hartenberg, having seen the potential that the perennial under achiever offered. At a time of great political instability and much disinvestment in South Africa, his move was brave, to say the least.
The Mackenzie vision, though extremely ambitious, remains simple: to do whatever it takes to produce wines of outstanding quality by anybody s standards. To create only what wino s call the good stuff.
The International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC), held in London each year, is regarded as the world wine industry s premier judging event and at the awards ceremony held on 30 September, Hartenberg
Merlot 2005 won the trophy for the world s best Merlot. The Stork 2005 being rated the world s third best Shiraz at Syrah du Monde in France in May 2009.
By winning these incredibly prestigious trophies, is the fact that many of their wines are now performing consistently well on an international level. -
Waterkloof WinesIt used to be the hill where former Cape Colony Governor, Willem Adriaan van der Stel, once grazed his sheep, but it was also his lookout post to identify visiting ships before anyone else, allowing him to race into town and sell his produce before the competition could. These days however, more and more vineyards are being planted in the area, already known as probably being the coolest in the Stellenbosch wine growing region.
Although grapes were planted on Waterkloof since the early 1970s, the production of fine wines originated when the farm was planted with some of the best material available in the mid 1990s.
In 1993, Paul Boutinot commenced his search for a vineyard site with the potential to produce truly fine wine with a defining sense of origin. The classic areas such as the Cote d Or, Chablis, Paulliac, Barolo, etc. were either unavailable or unattainable (rich men s toys), so he had to find a new classic. It took ten years to narrow the search down to a small area on the south facing slopes of the Schaapenberg, overlooking False Bay in the Cape. When Jean du Toit led Paul up a steep ravine opening out into a hidden amphitheatre of potential, all his experience and intuition told him: THIS IS IT! Waterkloof was born, and the hard work began. View 9 Product(s)) -
Glen CarlouPositioned at the southwestern tip of the African continent, which spans the equator and both the tropics -the Cape Winelands enjoy Mediterranean climatic conditions with mostly winter rainfall and dry summers.
Hess Family Estates -renowned for its prestigious New World Wineries in California, South Africa, Argentina and Australia -invites you to explore the Glen Carlou Winery in the heart of Paarl Valley, one of the most sought-after wine regions in South Africa. Glen Carlou is situated on the northern foothills of the Simonsberg Mountain in the Paarl Wine Region. The Mediterranean climate combined with an exciting variety of slopes and the riches of the soils, creates unique winegrowing conditions.
"Over the past few decades I’ve had the privilege and pleasure of marrying my passion for New World winemaking with my love affair with contemporary art. In my mind, these two disciplines are inextricably linked, reflecting both the complexity and beauty of modern-day living." Donald M. Hess -
Rijk's private CellarAfter working in Cape Town for 20 years, Neville Dorrington and his family decided it was time to move to the country. Lovers of good food and collectors of good wines, the search for a wine farm began. Months and miles later, it was decided to buy an undeveloped farm. “Lets do it all from scratch” We could then do proper deep ripping of the soil, install drainage and plant virus free vines.
They fell in love with the Tulbagh valley. The splendour and scenic beauty of the Tulbagh valley is hard to beat. One hour from Cape Town, the little valley lies in a fertile basin almost completely surrounded by the majestic Winterhoek and Witzenberg mountains, often snow-capped in winter. The Klein Berg River snakes its way across the valley floor, providing ample water for irrigation. The town was named after Rijk Tulbagh, governor of the Cape from 1751 to 1771. Steeped in history, the beautiful Church Street has 32 National Monuments, more than any other street in South Africa.
Development of the farm began in May 1996. In July, 1997 14 hectares of vines were planted. A further 12 hectares were planted the following year. Their first wines were released in 2000.
