The farm is a family established, owned and managed boutique wine estate that has successfully grown in size and reputation since its humble beginnings in 2008 when the first pioneering hectare of Sauvignon Blanc was planted. In the intervening years, the estate has developed further vineyards and introduced additional grape cultivar varietals. The wine farm produces both white and red wines plus traditional bottle-fermented champagne known in South Africa as MCC – Method Cap Classique. Cultivars include Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, Malbec, Cabernet Franc, Gewürztraminer, Chenin Blanc, Sangiovese. These wines are available at tasting sessions as well as a standard menu feature of their lunch-time-only restaurant offering ‘uncomplicated farm-style cuisine’ where guests are advised to arrive hungry. The open setting adjacent to a small dam quickly lets one shrug off the routine pressures of urban living and lose track of time.
The owners are justifiably proud of what they have achieved to date, for in every phase they have not only envisaged and planned what was required but have had a direct involvement in its very implementation while working alongside their small team of core staff to direct their training and development. If a water system needed fitting, they did it; if meal menus had to be prepared and tested, they did it. So virtually all aspects of the estate, their produce and the hospitality on offer, have been typified by direct contributions from the owners who have a deep-rooted practical knowledge of what works – something the typical volunteer can draw on to add to their personal set of skills and experience.
In addition, they are positively directed towards the strategic objective of further empowering members of the historically disadvantaged local community by constantly exploring means of broadening their economic participation through adding to their skills via crafts, cash crop cultivation and other means. Volunteers will be expected to contribute of their skills and time to further these activities.
Volunteers are involved in a wide range of wine-specific agricultural activities including initial ground-breaking and preparation of new vineyards, trellis construction, irrigation network installation, planting, care of existing and new vines, the busy harvest period, pruning and wine maturation.
