More than 300 years of history at the Neethlingshof Wine Estate...
300 Years of History at the Neethlingshof Wine Estate
The Neethlingshof farm was initially called De Wolvendans (The Dance of Wolves) before it was acquired in 1788 by Charles Marais and his eighteen-year old wife, Maria, who immediately began extending the vineyards and building a cellar to make their own wine. When her daughter married Johannes Henoch Neethling in 1828, he became joint owner of the farm and the name was changed to Neethlingshof. Always dressed to the nines, Johannes loved the good life and immersed himself in the community activities of Stellenbosch, earning himself the nickname, "Lord Neethling".
Maria Marais: A remarkable woman
It was Maria, a woman of amazing drive and vision for her time, who put the finishing touches to the decorations on the manor's gable. The homestead where she lived is a beautifully preserved example of Cape Dutch architecture and today houses the Lord Neethling restaurant. Maria also extended the vineyards to 80 000 vines and took on the winemaking responsibility to become one of the first female winemakers of the young colony.
With her newfound wealth she added a neighbouring 200 ha to the 197 ha she owned, running the whole farming operation with only the help of her two teenage sons and a daughter. Even after selling the property to her son and son-in-law, Johannes Henoch ("Lord") Neethling, Maria stayed actively involved in the farming operations until her death in 1839 at the age of 68, deeply loved by her children for whom she had sacrificed everything. She remains an indelible personality in our estate's history and her pioneering spirit has been a source of inspiration to the present day, including our Noble Late Harvest from the Short Story Collection.
Our Famous Avenue in the Stellenbosch Winelands
The famous kilometre-long avenue of stone pines that leads to the gabled homestead is the most recognisable feature of the Neethlingshof Wine Estate and the central motif of our wine labels. Venture through this unique evergreen tunnel of trees in the heart of the Stellenbosch Winelands when you visit us for a wine tasting.
Neethlingshof Wine Estate
