De Grendel Wines

The land that became De Grendel was granted in 1720 to Claas Meyboom, a prosperous businessman who established the farm on the Tygerberg hills outside Cape Town. The property operated as a working agricultural farm through the 18th and 19th centuries, with grapes grown alongside other crops in the early years. In 1891 the farm was purchased by David De Villiers Graaff, a young Cape colonial entrepreneur and politician who would build one of South Africa's most influential family dynasties. Graaff became a leading politician, businessman and farmer of his era, serving in the Cape Colonial parliament and contributing to the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910. In recognition of his role in the Union's establishment, King George V knighted him as the first Baronet of Cape Town in 1911. The De Grendel farm was central to his identity and remained the family seat through four generations of Graaffs. The current proprietor is Sir De Villiers Graaff, the third Baronet, who returned winemaking to the property in 2000 after a century in which the original vineyards had been lost to phylloxera and the farm had operated as a dairy and grain producer.

• Land granted in 1720 to businessman Claas Meyboom; one of the older Tygerberg farms still in continuous operation
• David De Villiers Graaff purchased the farm in 1891, founding the Graaff family ownership that continues today
• Knighted as the first Baronet of Cape Town by King George V in 1911 in recognition of his role in the formation of the Union of South Africa
• Fourth generation of Graaff ownership; current proprietor Sir De Villiers Graaff is the third Baronet

Grapes were grown at De Grendel in the early years of the farm but were wiped out by the phylloxera plague that devastated Cape vineyards in the 1890s. For nearly a century the property operated without vines, focused instead on dairy farming, grain production and other agricultural activities. The decision to return wine to De Grendel was made by Sir David Graaff (second Baronet, 1913-1999) and brought to fruition by his successor Sir De Villiers Graaff. Beginning in 2000 the family planted approximately 100 hectares of vineyards on the Tygerberg slopes, replanting after a century without grapes. The variety selection focused on the cool-climate strengths of the Durbanville/Tygerberg ward: Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and supporting varieties. A new winery and cellar facility was established to handle modern small-batch winemaking. The first De Grendel vintage of Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot and Shiraz was made in 2004 by cellar master Charles Hopkins at the Graham Beck cellar (Hopkins' previous employer), with 1800 cases produced. Hopkins moved permanently to De Grendel in 2005 to make wine on the farm and has remained as cellar master ever since.

• Original De Grendel vineyards wiped out by phylloxera in the 1890s; farm operated without vines for nearly a century
• Sir David Graaff (second Baronet, 1913-1999) initiated the wine revival; completed under Sir De Villiers Graaff
• Beginning 2000, planted approximately 100 hectares of vineyards in cool-climate Durbanville/Tygerberg style
• First 1800 cases (Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Shiraz) made in 2004 by Charles Hopkins at Graham Beck; Hopkins moved to De Grendel in 2005

Charles Hopkins is one of South Africa's most highly regarded winemakers and has been the cellar master at De Grendel since the very beginning of modern winemaking on the farm in 2005. Sir David Graaff personally lured Hopkins away from Graham Beck, where he had been responsible for premium red wine production, to lead the new venture. Hopkins is a long-standing member of the Cape Winemakers Guild, the elite invitation-only winemaker association in South Africa, and is a former Chairman of the South African Wine Show Association. His style at De Grendel emphasises classical winemaking with careful site selection, low yields, gentle handling and judicious French oak. The early years involved coaxing young vines to express their terroir while building the cellar infrastructure and brand from scratch. Two decades into the project De Grendel has built a distinctive identity around the Tygerberg cool-climate ward and the Op die Berg high-altitude Ceres Plateau, with Hopkins overseeing both sites. Under his direction De Grendel has won consistent recognition in major South African and international wine competitions, with the Rubaiyat flagship and Op die Berg Chardonnay and Pinot Noir scoring consistently highly across vintages.

• Charles Hopkins lured from Graham Beck (premium red wine production) in 2005 by Sir David Graaff to lead the new De Grendel venture
• Long-standing member of the Cape Winemakers Guild (elite invitation-only association) and former Chairman of South African Wine Show Association
• Style emphasises classical winemaking with careful site selection, low yields, gentle handling and judicious French oak
• Oversees both Tygerberg and Op die Berg Ceres Plateau sites; consistent recognition in major South African and international wine competitions

De Grendel sits on the Tygerberg Hills outside Cape Town, technically within the Cape Town district Wine of Origin but on a slope that shares climate characteristics with the neighbouring Durbanville ward. The Tygerberg is a low range of rolling hills that separates the Cape Flats from the Durbanville bowl, rising to approximately 300 metres at its peak. The De Grendel vineyards occupy west-facing slopes that catch the cool afternoon breezes off the Atlantic Ocean visible from the upper estate. Soils are predominantly Malmesbury shale with bands of weathered Tygerberg clay and outcrops of harder rock, providing good water retention on the drier western slopes. The climate is markedly cooler than the Stellenbosch or Paarl summer averages, with diurnal swings exceeding 12 degrees Celsius during the ripening season. The cooling effect of the Atlantic ocean, combined with the Cape Doctor south-easterly wind that funnels across the Tygerberg saddle from False Bay, gives the site significant temperature moderation. Sauvignon Blanc is the signature variety, capturing the cool maritime profile, but Bordeaux red varieties also perform well on the warmer eastern slopes. Vineyard altitudes range from 200 to 270 metres.

• Tygerberg Hills outside Cape Town: low rolling range separating Cape Flats from Durbanville bowl; rises to approximately 300m at peak
• West-facing slopes catch cool Atlantic afternoon breezes; vineyard altitudes 200-270m on Malmesbury shale with Tygerberg clay bands
• Cooler than Stellenbosch/Paarl summer averages with diurnal swings exceeding 12 degrees Celsius during ripening
• Atlantic cooling combined with Cape Doctor south-easterly funneling from False Bay gives significant temperature moderation

Some of De Grendel's most distinctive wines come not from the Tygerberg estate but from a family farm called Rietfontein on the Ceres Plateau in the Witzenberg mountains, approximately 1,000 metres above sea level. The farm is owned by Robert Graaff, brother of Sir De Villiers Graaff, and historically produced apples and pears in the high-altitude continental climate that has long defined Ceres as a deciduous fruit-growing region. Vineyards were established on the property to take advantage of the same continental climate features: warm days, icy nights, and in some years winter snowfalls that completely cover the vines. The conditions are unusual for South African viticulture and produce a truly continental ripening pattern more reminiscent of Burgundy or the high-altitude vineyards of New Zealand's Central Otago than the typical Cape coastal style. The Op die Berg (literally 'on the mountain' in Afrikaans) wines from this site are bottled under their own range and have become some of De Grendel's most acclaimed releases. The Op die Berg Chardonnay and Pinot Noir lead the range, with a more recent Syrah addition rounding out the portfolio. The wines benefit from the gradual ripening, intense concentration and bright preserved acidity that high altitude continental viticulture delivers.

• Op die Berg wines from family farm Rietfontein on the Ceres Plateau at approximately 1,000m above sea level
• Farm owned by Robert Graaff (brother of Sir De Villiers Graaff); high-altitude continental climate previously known for apples and pears
• Vineyards occasionally covered in winter snow; truly continental ripening pattern unusual for South African viticulture
• Range includes Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Syrah; some of De Grendel's most acclaimed wines from the high-altitude site

De Grendel's flagship wine is Rubaiyat, a Bordeaux-style blend named after Omar Khayyam's exquisite collection of 1000 Persian love poems from the 10th century, held dear by the late Sir David Graaff. The blend brings together Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Franc, with each successive vintage bearing a different quatrain (four-line stanza) from the Rubaiyat poem on the label, a literary device that mirrors the four-variety blend composition. Charles Hopkins made the first vintage of Rubaiyat in 2006 when Sir David asked him to create an 'iconic' wine for the estate. The wine is fermented variety by variety and blended after primary fermentation, then aged for 18 to 24 months in a high proportion of new French oak, typically 60-70%. Rubaiyat is built for the long term and rewards 10 to 15 years of cellaring from a good vintage. Alongside Rubaiyat the De Grendel range includes a varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and the Brut Cap Classique which consistently sells out before the next vintage release. The Proposal Hill Cap Classique Brut Rose, maiden 2016 vintage, is a 100% Pinot Noir-based MCC made from grapes grown on the slope of the Tygerberg hill with panoramic views of Cape Town.

• Rubaiyat flagship is a Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Merlot and Cabernet Franc; named after Omar Khayyam's 10th-century Persian poem
• Each vintage label bears a different quatrain (four-line stanza) from the Rubaiyat poem, mirroring the four-variety blend composition
• First vintage 2006 when Sir David asked Hopkins to create an 'iconic' wine for the estate; aged 18-24 months in 60-70% new French oak
• Range also includes varietal Cabernet, Merlot, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Brut MCC and Proposal Hill Brut Rosé MCC (100% Pinot Noir, maiden 2016)

Beyond the cellar and vineyards, De Grendel has built a significant Cape Town wine tourism business. The estate operates the De Grendel Restaurant, a contemporary fine-dining venue in a modern glass-walled building with panoramic views across the Cape Flats to Table Mountain. The restaurant has won consistent recognition in South African dining guides and serves as a major draw for visitors. The cellar door, wedding venue and event facilities round out the tourism offering. The combination of historical pedigree (the 1720 grant, the Graaff dynasty), modern winemaking under Charles Hopkins, the dramatic Cape Town views, and the proximity to the airport (the estate is only 15 minutes from Cape Town International) has positioned De Grendel as one of the most-visited wineries in the broader Cape Town area. The 300th anniversary of the farm was celebrated in 2020, marking three centuries of continuous agricultural operation under successive generations of owners. The De Grendel brand has been deliberately built to combine the rare combination of deep South African history and Cape Town modernity, with the wines themselves serving as the connection between past and present in a country whose wine industry is still finding its global identity.

• De Grendel Restaurant: contemporary fine-dining in glass-walled building with panoramic views to Table Mountain; consistent dining guide recognition
• Cellar door, wedding venue and event facilities make De Grendel one of the most-visited wineries in the broader Cape Town area
• Only 15 minutes from Cape Town International Airport; convenience adds to its tourism profile alongside the 300-year heritage
• 300th anniversary celebrated in 2020; brand deliberately built to combine deep South African history with Cape Town modernity