Originally from Bordeaux where our family owns 3 wine estates, we fell in love with South Africa during our many travels to the country. Our dream was to combine both, the Old & the New World, to make wines close to our vision of perfection. Therefore, we decided to purchase this boutique wine estate of 32 hectares (including 24 on vines) located in Simonsberg valley in 2004.
Manual harvesting, selection of the best grapes, French oak and Acacia barrel ageing, combined with a French "savoir-faire" from our South-African winemaker Jos Van Wyk, will lead you to explore some of the finest wines produced in the region.
The premises includes two Cape Dutch-style houses, a Guest House with swimming pool, a paddock for horses and near a charming pond housing a flock of ducks, the famous “Olivello” Restaurant.
The most important building of all is the French-African style wine cellar with its precious wood facades, completed in 2005. Its modern design allows handling of the entire harvesting process by gravity on three levels.
Through the huge glass doors of the tasting room, you can see the wine cellar on the lower level with its stainless steel and wooden tanks. Two large terraces provide a spectacular view of Table Mountain and Paarl Mountains. Interior decoration is contemporary, blending teak panels and polished stainless steel. A comfortable lounge and its fireplace welcome guests for cozy tasting.
Marianne is a highly symbolic name for French people.
Its history goes back to the days of the French Revolution when the new French Republic was looking for a symbol to embody its fundamental values, Freedom, Equality and Fraternity.
In 1792 the Republic decided to portray itself as a beautiful, scantily-dressed woman wearing the Phrygian hat, her name was Marianne. The symbol has endured since then and Marianne’s bust can be found in every city hall across France. Over the last decades, famous French artists have sculpted various busts of Marianne inspired by French celebrities such as Catherine Deneuve, Brigitte Bardot and Laetitia Casta.
Marianne Wine Estate illustrates our French origin as well as our French winemaking savoir-faire. For us it is also a reminder of the French Huguenots who settled around here in Franschhoek at the end of the 17th century and who were winemakers as well.
Over two hundred years later, French winemakers are coming back, attracted by the beauty of the region and the richness of its soil. Marianne Wine Estate expects to contribute to the rapid development of the increasing reknown of the South African wine industry.