Vergelegen Wine Farm

"I saw this place with exceptional pleasure, since everything there was laid out wonderfully finely" Reverend Francois Valentijn-1700.

The effect that Vergelegen has on visitors today is every bit as inspiring as it was to Reverend Valentijn nearly 300 years ago. Although his visit was a scant five years after the untamed land had been granted to Willem Adriaan van der Stel, his words remain a lasting testimony to the genius and imagination of the governor.

The beauty, which surrounds visitors at Vergelegen today, is in large measure due to the efforts and foresight of Lady Florence Phillips.

Majestically guarding the front entrance to the homestead are five magnificent Chinese camphor trees planted by W A van der Stel between 1700 and 1706. They are the oldest living, officially documented trees on the subcontinent and were declared a National Monument in 1942. The trees are a symbol of the generations whose care and aesthetic passion has nurtured Vergelegen into the estate it is today. Since 1992 the homestead has been open to public view, allowing visitors to escape into the past, through the grand items of furniture, and elegant interiors.

After the death of Sir Lionel and later Lady Florence Phillips, Charles ëPunchí Barlow and his wife Cynthia acquired the estate in June 1941. Cynthia Barlow was as devoted to Vergelegen as Lady Phillips had been and it was fortunate that she had been able to purchase many of the beautiful pieces of furniture and works of art accumulated by Lady Florence. To this collection she added her own considerable treasures and the tradition of Vergelegen was maintained. The Barlow's resumed farming operations on Vergelegen and began planting vines on a small scale. 'Punch' Barlow's son Tom took over the running of the farm in 1966 until Anglo American Farms limited purchased the property in October 1987. One of the many projects undertaken by Anglo American Farms was to begin replanting the vineyards, following intensive climatic and soil tests. This historic property is now coming into its own as a showpiece of South Africaís recent wine renaissance.

Since joining Vergelegen in 1998 Andre Van Rensburg has continued his pursuit of producing outstanding wines, having twice won the coveted Chateau Pichon Longueville Comtesse de La Lande trophy for the best red blend at the International Wine and Spirits competition in 2001 and 2003. He has twice won the SAA Chief Executives Officer's Trophy for the best overall performance by any winemaker and for the third successive year the Best Winery award at the Fairnbarn Capital Wine Trophy Show.

We have always believed that Vergelegen is the best viticultural entity in the southern hemisphere and our wines are consistently proving that. The qualities that make up Vergelegen's unique terroir include its microclimate, which is cooler than much of the surrounding wine-producing area, the wind (which can sometimes be a problem!) and the soils which, in synergy, are conducive to the production of world-class wines.

The octagonal design of the winery reflects that of the octagonal walled garden laid out by Willem Adriaan van der Stel in 1700. Important winemaking principals were incorporated in the octagonal design of the winery.

Situated high up on a hill, the octagonal structure commands sweeping views of the property, the town of Somerset West, and the breathtaking expanse of False Bay. Only a single level is visible above ground. Three working levels lie buried in a tower configuration that allows for gravitational flow and gentle handling of the wine.

Important principles were incorporated into the design of the new winery: The fact that the gentlest handling produces the most elegant wines, particularly while skins are still in contact with the juice, to attempt, where possible, to eliminate machines such as augers, pumps and rototanks, the design of a compact structure that allows for maximum visual control, both barrel and bottle storage areas should be buried to maximise the soil's insulation capacity, a gravity flow system must be utilised using the process of harvest above fermentation above press above barrels.

All of this careful consideration has come to produce the premium product this country and the world over have come to recognise as Vergelegen wines.