Choosing the vineyards that we work with carefully and having both a personal and a business relationship with these vineyards has been a key factor in providing diverse and high quality products. We work with vineyards that believe in sustainability and who look after their staff and their land in the knowledge that these two key factors would reflect heavily in the end product - a great wine!
Villa Canestrari
The history of Villa Canestrari dates back to 1888 when Carlo Bonuzzi graduated in Oenology at the Royal School of Conegliano Veneto, carrying on the family wine-making tradition in the Illasi Valley, Veneto region. A century later, a marriage based on love succeeded in cementing the union between the two wine-producing families, Franchi and Bonuzzi under the title of Villa Canestrari. Lying in the Illasi Valley, where the limestone soil of Valpolicella meets the volcanic terrain of Soave, the vineyards of Villa Canestrari favour the production of both types of wine, including Amarone della Valpolicella. In Illasi, above of the cellar where the Amarone matures in barriques, the Wine Museum stands tall, testifying the long tradition of the family in wine-making.
Kaapzicht
Since the first vintage was bottled in 1984, Kaapzicht has become highly respected for their good value for money, quality range of wines, having earned a multitude of local and international awards. For 3 generations the Steytler Family has been running their 190 hectare large estate hands-on: Brothers Danie and George being the winemaker and viticulturist and their wives being in charge of marketing and finances, as well hiring out a venue and a self-catering cottage. This beautiful estate in the Bottelary Hills celebrated its 60th anniversary as a family farm in 2006.
La Motte
Situated in the beautiful Franschhoek Valley in South Africa’s Cape winelands,
La Motte is home to the finest wines, recognised internationally for exceptional quality. With its picturesque setting, traditional cuisine and historic charm, La Motte is an enchanting destination for those who appreciate the finer things in life.
Simonsig
At Simonsig, the Malan family values drive the Estate’s commitment to producing wines of internationally regarded excellence, expressing the unique and diverse terroir of the Stellenbosch region. We also believe that being a gift of nature made for the enjoyment of people, our wine offering should always be complemented by true Cape hospitality and efficient service.
Leopard's Leap
Leopard’s Leap was conceptualised at the turn of the century by winemaker and businessman Hein Koegelenberg. Following its formidable success as a wine producer during the first decade, a decision was made in 2011 to broaden the horizons and, at the same time, create a home where visitors can get close to the values of the Leopard’s Leap brand and experience the Leopard’s Leap identity and principal passions – wine, food, conservation and literature.
Spier
Going since 1692, Spier is one of South Africa’s oldest wine farms, with a fascinating history and a legacy that the owners never take for granted. Today the farm has a modern, conscious energy. Focused on art and good farming, Spier is about farm-to-table food and accoladed wines. Its people are committed to living and working in ways that bring positive change to our environment and community. The Spier Hotel and conference team invite you to do business in an inspiring atmosphere.
Springfield Estate
The Springfield philosophy is to produce wine as naturally as possible. The winemaking process is kept direct and uncomplicated – the wine is left to make itself, as was done centuries ago. This allows for an honest expression of the estate’s terroir – a gift from God, inherited by our ancestors.
We believe that a good farmer is an observant one. One can use all sorts of fancy machines to tell us how much water is in the soil, but at the end of the day you need to look at the vine, see if it is under stress, and act accordingly. At Springfield we would rather intervene in the vineyard than in the cellar. Good wine is grown, not made.
Springfield wines are made traditionally and according to ancient methods. Most of the wines are fermented using natural wild yeasts found on the grape skins – high-risk winemaking that leads to lost vintages every few years. Our honour is our conscience, and the hundreds of small decisions made every day with this in mind, results in wine that we are proud to call our own.
Olivero Mario
Attention to details is ensured by our low impact natural viticulture without herbicides. Manual labour in the vineyard requires a long time but is a synonym of high quality: from pruning to harvesting we follow carefully designed procedures like green pruning, “sfemminellatura” (the cutting back of sterile canes), trellising and selection by means of cluster thinning. We use organic products for our fertilizations to restore the energies consumed in the grapes production and maturation. Plants are protected by accurately planned phytosanitary treatments to preserve the health of the environment, the vines and the grapes. That is why I’m personally in charge of the vineyards care all over the year so as not to lose sight of the challenges and satisfaction this job brings about.
Luigi Einaudi
Since its foundation, the Poderi Einaudi has grown by acquiring numerous vineyards, always chosen respecting the rule that a great wine can only come from a great vineyard and great “terroir”; there is a clear example in one of the first acquisitions, the “cru San Luigi” in Dogliani and in one of the most recent, the “cru Cannubi” in Barolo.
Claudy Clavien
Claudy Clavien