Anwilka

Anwilka was conceived in the late 1990s when Lowell Jooste, then second-generation owner of Klein Constantia, decided he wanted to create a Cape red wine that would stand alongside the great wines of Bordeaux. He approached two of the most decorated figures in the global wine world: Bruno Prats, who had owned and run Chateau Cos d'Estournel in Saint-Estephe for 28 years until selling the Second Growth estate in 1998, and Hubert de Bouard, the owner of Chateau Angelus in Saint-Emilion which was promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classe A in 2012. In 1997 the three partners purchased a 40-hectare vineyard property in the Helderberg ward of Stellenbosch, just seven kilometres from the cooling waters of False Bay. The name Anwilka is a portmanteau of the three founders' nicknames: 'An' from Lowell Jooste, 'Wil' from Bruno Prats, and 'Ka' from Hubert de Bouard. The vision was simple but ambitious: combine Bordeaux's centuries of red wine craftsmanship with the unique granite and maritime terroir of the Helderberg to create a Cape wine of unquestionable international stature.

• Lowell Jooste of Klein Constantia approached Bruno Prats and Hubert de Bouard in the late 1990s to create a top-flight Cape red
• Bruno Prats had owned Chateau Cos d'Estournel for 28 years until 1998; Hubert de Bouard owns Chateau Angelus, promoted to Premier Grand Cru Classe A in 2012
• Anwilka name combines 'An' (Lowell Jooste), 'Wil' (Bruno Prats) and 'Ka' (Hubert de Bouard); founded 1997 with a 40-hectare Helderberg vineyard
• Vision was to combine Bordeaux winemaking expertise with Helderberg granite and False Bay maritime terroir for a Cape wine of international stature

Anwilka sits in the Helderberg ward, the southernmost of the major Stellenbosch wards and the closest to the ocean. The estate is just seven kilometres from False Bay, the broad bay of cold Atlantic water that separates the Cape Peninsula from the Hottentots Holland mountains. This proximity to the ocean is the defining feature of the Anwilka terroir. The Cape Doctor, the strong south-easterly wind that blows reliably across the Cape from spring through autumn, sweeps in directly from False Bay and moderates the otherwise warm Stellenbosch summer temperatures by several degrees. The cooling effect extends the growing season and preserves natural acidity in the grapes, particularly in the Syrah which would otherwise risk over-ripening. Soils are predominantly decomposed granite from the Cape Granite Suite, deep and free-draining, with vines forced to root deeply to find water. The combination of maritime cooling, granite soils and the protective shelter of the Helderberg massif creates a microclimate uniquely suited to Bordeaux varieties and Northern Rhone Syrah farmed in a structured European style.

• Helderberg is the southernmost major Stellenbosch ward and closest to the cooling Atlantic waters of False Bay (just 7km away)
• Cape Doctor south-easterly wind sweeps in directly from False Bay and moderates summer temperatures by several degrees
• Decomposed granite soils from the Cape Granite Suite force vines to root deeply for water, building concentration and structure
• Maritime cooling extends the growing season and preserves natural acidity, particularly in Syrah which would otherwise over-ripen

The maiden Anwilka vintage was 2005, released to international markets in 2007. The wine was a blend of approximately 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon with small additions of Petit Verdot, fermented with extended skin maceration in the Bordeaux manner and aged in a high percentage of new French oak. The 2005 was tasted by Robert Parker at the 2006 Bordeaux en primeur tastings, an unusual setting for a Cape wine to be evaluated. Parker scored the wine and declared it 'the finest red wine I have ever had from South Africa'. The declaration came at a moment when the Cape was beginning to attract serious international attention but had yet to break through into the top ranks of global fine wine commentary. The Parker statement, made by the most influential wine critic in the world at the height of his influence, placed Anwilka and the Helderberg ward firmly on the international map. Subsequent vintages built on the maiden by tightening the elevage, refining the Syrah component, and gradually evolving the style toward a more elegant, less new-oak-driven profile that reflects modern Cape sensibilities.

• Maiden 2005 vintage was a blend of approximately 60% Syrah and 40% Cabernet Sauvignon with small Petit Verdot additions
• Tasted by Robert Parker at the 2006 Bordeaux en primeur tastings, an unusual setting for a Cape wine evaluation
• Parker declared the 2005 Anwilka 'the finest red wine I have ever had from South Africa' at the en primeur tastings
• Subsequent vintages refined the Syrah component and evolved toward a more elegant, less new-oak-driven profile

In May 2011 the Jooste family sold Klein Constantia to Czech mining magnate Zdenek Bakala and South African businessman Charles Harman for a reported 20 million euros. Lowell Jooste retained his interest in Anwilka, but the new Klein Constantia ownership saw strategic value in uniting the two estates. In May 2012 the merger was completed: Anwilka became the Stellenbosch sister estate of Klein Constantia under the Bakala-Harman ownership umbrella, with Bruno Prats and Hubert de Bouard retained as minority shareholders. The merger gave Klein Constantia a serious red wine offering to complement its Constantia white wine portfolio led by Vin de Constance, and gave Anwilka the scale, distribution muscle and cellar resources of the larger group. The two estates continue to operate as distinct identities with separate winemaking facilities, but production planning, sales and marketing are coordinated through the Klein Constantia group. Since 2021 Klein Constantia winemaker Matt Day has taken full responsibility for winemaking at Anwilka, succeeding the previous estate winemaker and consolidating the technical direction across both estates.

• Klein Constantia sold to Zdenek Bakala and Charles Harman in May 2011 for a reported 20 million euros; merger with Anwilka completed May 2012
• Anwilka became the Stellenbosch sister estate under Bakala-Harman ownership; Prats and De Bouard remain as minority shareholders
• Merger gave Klein Constantia a serious red wine offering and gave Anwilka the scale and resources of the larger group
• Klein Constantia winemaker Matt Day has taken full responsibility for Anwilka winemaking since 2021

Anwilka farms approximately 40 hectares of vineyards on the gently undulating slopes of the Helderberg, all within the Cape Granite Suite. The primary plantings are Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, which together make up the majority of the estate, with smaller blocks of Petit Verdot used as a blending component for additional structure and dark fruit lift. Vineyards are planted at relatively close spacing in the Bordeaux manner, with bilateral cordon and spur pruning to control yields. Yields are deliberately kept low, typically around four to six tonnes per hectare, to ensure concentration and balance. Picking decisions are made block by block on flavour ripeness rather than fixed sugar targets, a reflection of Bruno Prats' Bordeaux methodology. The estate has not pursued single-vineyard or single-block bottlings, preferring instead to focus on the flagship Anwilka blend and a more approachable second wine, Petit Frere (Little Brother). All vineyard work is conducted with sustainability principles, with cover crops between rows and minimal chemical intervention.

• Approximately 40 hectares planted predominantly to Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah with smaller Petit Verdot blocks
• Vines planted at close spacing in the Bordeaux manner with bilateral cordon and spur pruning to control yields
• Yields deliberately kept low at 4-6 tonnes per hectare to ensure concentration and balance
• Picking decisions made block by block on flavour ripeness, reflecting Bruno Prats' Bordeaux methodology

Anwilka produces two wines, both red, both blends. The flagship Anwilka is a Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah blend in proportions that vary by vintage but typically run between 50/50 and 60/40 across the two varieties, with small Petit Verdot additions for structure. The wine is fermented with extended skin contact in stainless steel followed by maturation in French oak barriques, typically 50-60% new, for 18 to 22 months before bottling. The style is structured and Bordeaux-influenced, with the Syrah providing dark fruit lift and savoury spice while the Cabernet provides backbone, blackcurrant fruit and ageing potential. Petit Frere is the more approachable second wine, made in a similar varietal blueprint but from younger vineyard blocks, with less new oak and earlier release. The name (French for 'Little Brother') signals its position in the hierarchy. The flagship Anwilka is built for medium-term cellaring of 8 to 15 years from a good vintage, while Petit Frere drinks well from release. Both wines are distributed internationally through the Klein Constantia commercial network and appear regularly on premium wine lists in Europe, North America and Asia.

• Flagship Anwilka is a Cabernet Sauvignon-Syrah blend (typically 50/50 to 60/40) with small Petit Verdot additions for structure
• Aged in French oak barriques, typically 50-60% new, for 18 to 22 months before bottling
• Petit Frere is the approachable second wine from younger blocks, less new oak, earlier release; name means 'Little Brother'
• Flagship built for 8-15 years of cellaring from a good vintage; both wines distributed internationally through Klein Constantia

Anwilka is one of the few Cape estates to have launched directly into the top tier of international wine commentary, helped by the Parker declaration on the maiden 2005. Tim Atkin MW has consistently rated Anwilka among the top Cape red blends in his annual South Africa Report, with recent vintages scoring 93 to 95 points. The wine appears regularly on the lists of three-starred Michelin restaurants in Europe and Asia and is distributed through some of the most prestigious fine wine networks including Berry Bros & Rudd in the United Kingdom and Frederick Wildman in the United States. The estate's profile benefits from the Klein Constantia commercial machinery, which gives Anwilka access to import and distribution partners that would be out of reach for an independent boutique. Critical reception has remained consistent over two decades, with Anwilka maintaining its position as one of the benchmark Cape red blends and a wine that demonstrates the upper potential of the Helderberg-False Bay terroir for Bordeaux varieties and Syrah farmed in a European style.

• Tim Atkin MW consistently rates Anwilka among the top Cape red blends with recent vintages scoring 93-95 points
• Distributed internationally through Berry Bros & Rudd (UK) and Frederick Wildman (US); appears on three-starred Michelin lists
• Klein Constantia commercial machinery gives Anwilka access to premium import and distribution networks worldwide
• Two decades of consistent critical reception has cemented Anwilka as a benchmark Cape red blend and Helderberg flagship