Background
The Neethlingshof estate in Stellenbosch, owned equally by Distell and LUSAN), takes its name from its one-time 19th century owner, Marthinus Laurentius Neethling, who served as mayor of Stellenbosch and was also a member of the old Cape Parliament.
Neethlingshof’s reserve tier, The Short Story Collection, draws attention to the winery’s rich and varied narratives. The three limited edition wines in the collection each focus on a specific aspect of the estate’s philosophy or history. They are made exclusively from hand-picked grapes.
The Maria is the name of the acclaimed Weisser Riesling Noble Late Harvest and honours Maria Magdalena Marais, the resourceful and feisty young widow who took over the building of the estate’s manor house after the death of her husband, Charles, in 1813. The home was completed the following year and is now a national monument. Assisted by two teenage sons, the widow Marais was responsible for developing a vibrant and viable farming operation that included 80 000 vines to produce 30 leaguers of wine and 1.75 leaguers of brandy a year. At the time, the farm was named Wolwedans. However, some time after the marriage of her daughter, Anna Margaretha to Johannes Henoch Neethling, the name of the property was changed to Neethlingshof.