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Farming Practices
Asara Vineyards: Cultivars | Soil Types | Bio Diversity | WIETA | Fairtrade
About Neil Ellis
In 1989 Neil Ellis took a calculated leap of faith into the wine-negociant arena, buying and vinifying grapes from elected vineyards and marketing these hand-reared wines under his own label. Mindful that exceptional terroir and assiduous vineyard cultivation form the bedrock of great wine, Neil forged long-term supply-partnerships with top grape-growers in premium areas.
The Villiera Vineyards
The Villiera vineyards have been run by Simon Grier since 1983 (ably assisted by vineyard managers Christie Franse and John Williams) and are approximately 170 hectares in extent. Yields are a conservative 8 tons per hectare to ensure fruit quality.
The Cellar
Asara’s cellar was originally the old manor house on the estate but was transformed into the wine cellar in 1953. Some of the original old cement fermentation tanks can still be seen today.
About Plaisir de Merle
The history of Plaisir de Merle is a story of exceptional people who helped create a proud viticultural heritage that lives on today.
Nederburg’s City Girl: Unathi Mantshongo, Viticulturist
It’s not often you find someone working under the wide skies of the vineyards, who chooses to live in a City Bowl apartment. Nederburg viticulturist, Unathi Mantshongo prefers the daily commute into the Winelands from Cape Town, so she doesn’t lose contact with the “urban energy”.
Our Range of Unique Wines
Durbanville Hills winery draws its grapes from a group of neighbouring historic farms, mostly established at the turn of the 17th and 18th centuries.
Background
Wine has been made at Kleine Zalze since 1695. Today, this family-owned winery, 3 km outside Stellenbosch, in the heart of the Cape Winelands, continues the tradition of producing wines of outstanding quality.
Game Drives & Wildlife Sanctuary
In conjunction with two neighbours (The Cape Garden Centre and Wild Clover Farm) Villiera set aside 220ha of land as a wildlife sanctuary in 2009.
Andrea Freeborough - Nederburg Cellar Master
She loves the fragrance of freshly laundered sheets left to dry in the sun: that elusive trace of soap, of cotton, of breezes and warmth. Then making the bed (it has to be done just so) and inviting the whole family to climb in with her - husband Michael-John and kids Leah-Jessica and Josh, everyone with a book in hand. Hers will probably be a Patricia Cornwell crime novel laced with spicy forensic detail.