Hartenberg

This weeks blog post is more about the wine than history as this wine estate deserves as much space as possible given their award winning wines. But...lets briefly mention the farms history as it does date back to 1692.

The farm was first inhabited by two friends Cunraad Boin and Christoffel Esterhuizen in 1692, at this stage the farm had only 20 hectares. They immediately realised the potential of the farm and planted 2000 vineyards. In 1704, Esterhuizen was officially granted the deed of "Het Hartenberg" by the governor of the Cape at the time, Willem van der Stel and he expanded the farm to 10 000 vineyards.

The year 1721 started a long line of new owners on the farm, starting with Paulus Keyser (an elephant hunter int hose days) and ending with the Mackenzie family in 1987. In between, the Hampf family expanded the land and planted the magnificent oak trees on the farm followed by the Finalyson family who realised Hartenberg wines true potential.

The farm produces 7 single-vineyard white wines and 8 red wines. Hartenberg specialises in Riesling, Chardonnay and Shiraz; the latter winning numerous awards. The Chardonnay (2009 if you can get it otherwise even the 2015 is fantastic) with subtle butterscotch aromas as well as lime and the scent of vanilla, is best served at room temperature in order to maximise these flavours. The same can be said for the Eleanor Chardonnay, this wine (2015) has similar aromas to that of the standard Chardonnay but as it is only made from the very best grapes and aged in more first fill than second fill french oak barrels, the aromas are slightly more intense with the butterscotch flavour highly pronounced. This wine is definitely one of my favourites from the Stellenbosch area. It is worth mentioning that their Riesling is well-suited to a sunny (like the one on which we visited Hartenberg) and is lighter and fruiter than the Chardonnay varieties mentioned above. 

Although Hartenberg dabbles in other red varieties (Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon), their Shiraz is by far the most popular. There are 4 different Shiraz's, The Doorkeeper (easy-drinking wine, slightly acidic for my liking), the standard Shiraz (2014, the tannins are just right on this wine but still not full-bodied enough for me), the Stork (2013, full-bodied, rich and delicious) and the Gravel Hill (2012, this is definitely their flagship wine and rightly so!).

A visit to the Stellenbosch Wine Route is not complete without a visit to Hartenberg. Stop by, do a wine tasting, have a picnic under the trees and enjoy the sunlight and fabulous wine!

Neethlingshof

This estate is a well-kept secret in Stellenbosch. As you drive down the pine lined lane, you get a hint of what to expect at the end of it, grandeur and Cape Dutch heritage!. Once you get to the end of the lane, the charm of the buildings and grounds are breath-taking. 

This farms history dates back to 1788 when the farm (then called De Wolvendans) was acquired by Charles Marais and his then 18 year old wife, Maria. They had 3 children, 2 sons and a daughter. As a couple, they immediately started expanding the vineyards and built a cellar. In 1813, Charles Marais passed away. This made Maria Marais one the the first female wine makers of the colony. Over time, Maria almost doubled the size of the farm and ran it with the help of her then teenage children. Her daughter married a Neethling in 1828 to whom she sold the farm. The farms name was therefore changed to Neethlingshof. Maria was involved in daily activities until her death in 1839 at the age of 68.

The heritage of that time is reflected across the estate. There are beautiful Cape Dutch Buildings, the original wine cellar built by the Marais's as well as an ode to her children on the front of the original homestead (six ornate flowers adorning the masonry).

The wine is also reflective of the farms history. There are two ranges; the Short Story Collection and the Estate Collection. 

The Short Story Collection encompasses four wines, the first of which is called The Six Flowers. It is a white blend which was aged in French Oak barrels for eight months (Sauvignon blanc 30%, Chenin blanc 25%, Chardonnay 22% Weisser Riesling 8%, Gewurztraminer 8% and Viognier 7%) with floral and citrus aromas, but with spicy undertones and unexpected depth for the age of the wine. The Caracal, a red blend (Cabernet Sauvignon 65%, Merlot 25% and Petit Verdot 10%) was aged in French Oak for 20 months. This wine is full-bodies but also full of flavour and is a beautiful deep ruby colour. You can pick up hints of strawberries, vanilla and has a sweet caramel aftertaste. The Owl Post Pinotage is a good example of our countries flagship and endemic variety, Pintoage (a hybrid of Hermitage and Pinot Noir). A well-rounded wine with hints of vanilla and the oak (Hungarian and French) in which it was aged. The last wine in the Short Story Collection is the Maria Noble Late Harvest, named after the farms female wine-making pioneer, is a summery golden yellow colour and is a welcome relief after the previous dry, full-bodied wine. This wine reminds me of Christmas because of its light, fruity but spicy notes, reminiscent of a fruit cake.

Neethlingshof not only produces amazing wine, grounds and preserves our countries heritage, the success of the farm is due to the perseverance of a woman who made something from nothing even though the world at the time was against her.