Noon Winery is a small, family-owned winery in McLaren Vale producing earth-shattering red wines! Drew and his wife Raegan – gentle, considered people – took over the family winery in 1996. Their quiet respect for the land they nurture and the vines they tend is reflected in their winemaking style; gloriously powerful wines with minimal processing.
The property has 4.2ha of estate-grown bush vine Grenache vineyards planted in 1934 and 1999 (the Winery and Almond Blocks) and 1943 (BJ’s Block), with plantings in 1999 of a further 1.6ha, mostly Graciano. The Shiraz and Cabernet vineyards are grower owned by friends, the Borrett Family, in Langhorne Creek – tiny vineyards planted in 1962 and 1972 respectively. Production at Noon is only 3000 cases (in a good year) mostly sold to their loyal Australian customers. For most of the year, their cellar door sports a sign simply stating “Sorry, we have sold out of wine. Cellar door will reopen next November”!
Kanonkop is situated on the lower slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch, from where it produces award-winning wines. A fourth generation family estate, it was originally purchased by JW Sauer (a cabinet member in the parliament of the Union of South Africa) and has been in the family ever since, now in the talented hands of its current owners Paul and Johann Krige and winemaker Abrie Beeslaar.
Listed as a ‘first growth’ by Tim Atkin MW, Kanonkop is famed for its red wines, particularly Pinotage, which makes up 50% of vineyard plantings, as well as Cabernet Sauvignon (35%), Merlot (7.5%) and Cabernet Franc. The name Kanonkop was derived from a kopje (hillock), from which a cannon was fired in the 17th century to alert farmers in outlying areas that sailing ships plying the waters between Europe and the Far East had entered Table Bay for a stopover at Cape Town. Paul Sauer 2015 is the first South African wine to be awarded 100 points in Tim Atkin MW’s South African Report.
In 1974 Capel Vale was the first winery in Western Australia to own and establish vineyards in the cool climate regions of Margaret River, Mount Barker and Geographe. Original winemaker and owners Dr Peter and Elizabeth Pratten produced the first vintage in 1980, handing responsibility to son Simon in the mid 2000s. They are still a family-owned and -managed winery.
Producing wines with regional distinction and showing respect for their pristine environment matters here; Sheldrake ducks accompanied the original vineyard planting teams, and their enduring presence is acknowledged on the Capel Vale wine labels.
Lutherans, Johann Christian Hahn and his wife Maria arrived in South Australia in January 1839, sailing from Hamburg. In 1845, Christian purchased land in the Barossa Valley in the Siegersdorf-Dorrien area, north of Tanunda and the family settled there in 1846. Early settlers to the Barossa were able to stake out the best of the valley’s farmland and the Hahns seized the opportunity. The first vines were planted in 1914 by Hermann Hahn (3rd generation) and by the 1970s, the property was fully planted with vines. Grape growing became the Hahn family way of life and six generations later, James and Jackie Hahn continued that legacy, living and working on the land originally purchased by Christian Hahn.
In 1997, James and Jackie decided to produce their own range of red wines and teamed up with Barossa winemaker, Rolf Binder for the winemaking. The JJ Hahn label was born. Over the years the brand grew quickly, with wines such as the 1914 and 1918 Shiraz wines receiving noteworthy accolades. In 2010, the Hahns retired from the business with Rolf Binder retaining co-ownership of the brand, winemaking and vineyard management. In 2022 Rolf handed over to fellow vigneron Tom White of Curator Wine who continues to make the wines under the same label and export JJ Hahn wines into many countries. With Rolf on the side-lines as consultant winemaker, it remains a range of classic Barossa reds that represent exceptional drinkability and value.
Established in 2004, Greystone draws its name from the steep and unique limestone clay hills in Waipara Valley, North Canterbury. With the aim of making exceptional wines from its unique terroir, since 2014, Greystone has managed its 33-hectare vineyard organically. The team are continually searching for new ways to fully reflect the terroir, including vineyard ferments, which capture the vines’ wild yeasts in situ, while exposing the wine to the elements – the ultimate in natural winemaking?
For a relatively young wine company, Greystone has twice won Decanter trophies for Best Pinot Noir as well as earnin the ranking of Top New Zealand Chardonnay in 2018. More recently, Greystone was Raymond Chan’s 2018 Winery of the Year and winemaker, Dom Maxwell, was named 2018 New Zealand Winemaker of the Year by Gourmet Traveller Wine.
Waterford Estate is situated in the picturesque Blaauwklippen Valley on the Helderberg Mountain in Stellenbosch. The estate is owned by the Ord family and has been developed under the watchful eye of Kevin Arnold, Cellarmaster and Managing Partner, since 1998. Utilising the latest sustainability research, the estate uses only 120 hectares of their land for vines, to preserve and protect the natural fauna and flora on the estate.
Tim Atkin MW assessed the estate as being a ‘first growth’ within South Africa in his 2019 report. The wines are indeed highly garlanded, recognised for their restraint and poise. The aim of the estate is ‘less is more’ to ensure the wines express their vineyard sites to the fullest. ‘We keep things simple, both inside and outside of the cellar’, says viticulturist David van Schalkwyk, ‘We try to interfere as little as possible, allowing nature to do its job. In this way, our wines also have the best chance of truly reflecting Waterford Estate’s unique environment’. Winemaker Mark le Roux adds, ‘interfering as little as possible doesn’t mean the team gets to go on holiday more often! Finding ways to improve or maintain wine quality without manipulation is an art’.
Located in the Greenock sub region of the Barossa Valley and perfectly suited to producing quality, rich, full flavoured Shiraz. The estate was purchased by the Liu family in 2017 and is managed by a sixth generation Barossa grape-growing family along with world renowned winemaker Kym Milne MW heading up the production team.
This successful collaboration immediately produced it’s first Gold medal at the Mundus Vini International Wine Competition in Germany and thereafter followed by a steady stream of accolades including the highly prestigious IWC Trophy for Best Barossa Valley Shiraz in 2022 for the 2020 Golden Amrita Single Estate Shiraz . Seckford are privileged to be looking after this estate in the UK.
Made by the winemaking team at Rust en Vrede, proprietor Jean Engelbrecht and winemaker Roelof Lotriet have produced this sophisticated range in homage to the town of Stellenbosch and its rich heritage. The wines’ back labels depict iconic Stellenbosch buildings. The Moederkerk, or Mother Church, is arguably Stellenbosch’s most beautiful church, a clean, white, towering example of neo-Gothic architecture which was completed and consecrated in 1863. Ou Hoofgebou, meaning Old Main Building, was built following a desire to erect a monument in commemoration of the town’s bicentenary in 1879. Part of the University, Ou Hoofgebou marks the importance of education in the town. Meanwhile, Kweekskool, built in 1687, was effectively the start of higher education in Stellenbosch when it was inaugurated as the Theological Seminary in 1859.
Some of Darling Cellars’ vineyards enjoy the coolness of the Darling Hills, just three miles from the roaring Atlantic on the west coast of South Africa, while others bask in sun in the flatter hinterland. Their lucky winemaking team thus has abundance of flavour profiles to play with, not to mention a funky mix of varieties. Darling is best known for Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc as well as old vine Chenin Blanc and Pinotage, but their winemakers actually have fifteen red varieties and nine white varieties at their disposal. Their luck continues: 96% of the vineyards are un-irrigated bush vines so yields are very low and the quality proportionately high.
Investment continues in the winery and cellar with some of the most modern and up-to-date winemaking equipment in the industry today. A modern bottling line, new presses, a barrel maturation cellar, a new grape off-loading system and continuing replanting of vineyards, to include noble cultivars, all contribute to Darling Cellars’ advances in contemporary winemaking.
For over 300 years Rust en Vrede has stood peacefully among the vineyards of Stellenbosch, with the original farm buildings built between 1780 and 1825. This prestigious estate was purchased by the Engelbrecht family almost 35 years ago, since when they have specialised in producing only red wine with the focus on Shiraz, Cabernet and Merlot. These are wines with all the hallmarks of complexity and balance, as well as a sense of place which reflects their heritage. Many accolades have been bestowed upon the estate, including Rust en Vrede Estate Wine being chosen by President Nelson Mandela to be served at the Nobel Peace Prize dinner and hosting the Queen of Denmark for a lunch at the Manor House. Rust en Vrede was nominated as the first South African red wine in the Top 100 Wines of the World and went on to repeat this achievement for four consecutive years.
The estate is now run by Jean Engelbrecht (pictured above) and the winemaker is Coenie Snyman. An outstanding fine dining restaurant opened at the end of 2007 in Rust en Vrede’s original cellar, a cellar which is a registered National Monument.
Founded by recognised winemaker Cathy Marshall in 1997, the Barefoot Wine Company was one of the first true ‘boutique/micro-wineries’ in the Western Cape, establishing a then ground-breaking, alternative approach, characterised by the use of a low-tech, but meticulous hands-on methodology which set the trend for the burgeoning garagiste movement. Thanks to Cathy’s tireless efforts, the company grew from humble beginnings (with a handful of friends and family gathering at harvest-time to press the grapes barefoot) to become an institution – inspiring hundreds of enthusiastic participants to attend the annual BWC foot-stomps! Her prowess has earned her a well-founded reputation for excellence. Since those early days, she has travelled the globe to hone her winemaking skills and is particularly proud of all her wines, especially her Pinot Noir – the change of name from the Barefoot Wine Co to Catherine Marshall Wines just says it all!
Cathy has long term relationships with growers, sourcing her grapes only where the match between terroir and grape are assured of producing the very best wines.
In South Africa, Danie Steytler has long been considered one of the top two producers of Pinotage in the country. He has won numerous awards and accolades for his Pinotage wines, and for the Steytler Vision, a Cape blend with 40% Pinotage. He is passionate about the variety which in Danie’s words, ‘put Kaapzicht on the map’.
Kaapzicht is situated up in the Bottelary Hills with magnificent views towards Table Mountain (hence the name Kaapzicht: Cape View). The farm, which was first mentioned in 1712, has been farmed by the Steytler family since 1946. Danie Steytler Jnr has taken over from his father as winemaker and continues the estate’s successes with Pinotage and Chenin Blanc.
The family take their responsibility towards their employees incredibly seriously and have a number of schemes in place to both make their lives easier, and improve their outcomes. These include an on-site crèche, Pebbles, for 10 babies and toddlers under 6. Since 2002, Kaapzicht have paid all school bills for the 42 children of employees, who also use Pebbles as an After School Club where they can do their homework and benefit from a number of extracurricular activities. In the evenings, Pebbles then turns into a centre to teach literacy to adults and offer tuition to help them achieve their end-of-school exams, sometimes many years after having left school.
