Hannes was born in Vredendal and studied Viticulture at Elsenburg. Before joining Neethlingshof Estate in 1996, he worked in a vineyard nursery, fine tuning his skills before moving to The Olives Farm as farm manager and then to Neethlingshof as resident viticulturist.
Van Zyl adheres to his motto “After the season you have the results” relating to ensuring the work he does every day will show itself in the end result; well-structured, terroir-driven Neethlingshof wines. Good wine doesn’t just begin in the vineyard; it begins with the correct soil preparation, choosing the right block, assessing the slopes and correct cultivar for the conditions.