Proud partners of Goedhuis & Co, Oldenburg Vineyards are making some of South Africa's most exhilarating, terroir-driven wines.

Alongside wife, Vanessa, Stellenbosch native Adrian Vanderspuy owns this brilliant boutique estate, which is perched high-up in the verdant Banghoek Valley. In this sublime setting, alive with birdsong and exotic flora, a very rare set of natural elements converge; cool ocean winds are funnelled through a mountainous amphitheatre, creating ideal temperatures, while below ground hugely diverse, mineral-rich soils give wines of staggering elegance and complexity.

Nic van Aarde, their impressive young winemaker, is highly respected in the industry, having previously worked at Warwick Estate in Stellenbosch, as well as in the Margaret River, Sonoma, and a formative spell at Château Angélus.

Oldenburg Vineyards
Chenin Blanc 2022

£103.97 per 6 bottles IB | £144.00 per 6 bottles DP inc. VAT
Available For Immediate Delivery

A blend of old bush vines and younger parcels, Tim Atkin awards 93 points, believing that “this Chenin Blanc shows Nic van Aarde’s skill as a white winemaker.” Upon tasting, it’s hard to argue, as a wonderful crispness and tingling energy underlie the sumptuous old vine richness. Thanks to its ancient granite terroir, the 2022 is fragrant and intense on the nose, with a mineral edge reminiscent of crushed oyster shell. With terrific texture and pleasing bite, there is a vibrancy throughout, providing the perfect foil to the rich fruit.

Oldenburg Vineyards
Chardonnay 2022

£133.97 per 6 bottles IB | £156.00 per 6 bottles DP inc. VAT
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Oldenburg’s cool continental climate is perfect for making sophisticated ‘Old World’ style Chardonnay and Nic has retained so much fresh fruit character in this brilliant 2022. Fermented and matured in French oak barrels from Burgundian coopers, there is a gorgeously creamy edge to the mouth-watering citrus and ripe orchard fruit. Everything but the price tag screams Premier Cru Burgundy.

Rondekop
Stone Axe 2020

£193.97 per 6 bottles IB | £252.00 per 6 bottles DP inc. VAT
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Named after the stone axes discovered in the vineyard’s iron-rich soils, some of which date back 100,000 years, Oldenburg’s fresh and elegant Syrah could appear undetected in a blind tasting of Northern Rhône reds. With 94 points from Tim Atkin, Nic has produced a red with “thyme and oregano aromas, gentle tannins, lots of zip and vibrancy and subtle oak.” A combination of Stockinger casks and smaller barrels, old and new, gives a gorgeous vivid fruit profile and well-judged spice, a glorious backdrop to the gleaming acidity.

Rondekop
Rhodium 2020

£193.97 per 6 bottles IB | £252.00 per 6 bottles DP inc. VAT
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Nic’s love for Cabernet Franc started while working at Château Angélus, and it is a grape that flourishes in Oldenburg terroir. When combined with Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon, the result is a wonderously fresh and floral expression. Tim Atkin awards 95 points, calling it the "best vintage yet of this Banghoek blend, with leafy, capsicum and parsley perfume, fine-grained oak, svelte tannins and a core of blueberry, red cherry and cinnamon spice. Bravo!"

Rondekop
Per Se 2020

£193.97 per 6 bottles IB | £252.00 per 6 bottles DP inc. VAT
Available For Immediate Delivery

The Banghoek Valley is 2 to 3 degrees colder than the rest of Stellenbosch and this is evident in the cool Cabernet tones of this gorgeous 2020. Sourced from the lower slopes of the Rondekop, where the soils are rich in iron, this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is notable for its fresh core and mouth-watering acidity. Racy and focused , yet with lovely, sweet red and black fruit density to match, it is peppered with tobacco, vanilla pod, and blackcurrant leaf.

Founded by Chris and Andrea Mullineux in 2007, Mullineux is one of the most acclaimed producers in all of South Africa and is a five-time winner of Platter's Guide’s Winery of the Year.

Mullineux have built a reputation around old vineyards on granite and schist soils, producing wines of immense complexity and intensity. Their single terroir Syrahs are some of the finest expressions, rivalling the great reds of the Rhône, while their whites showcase South African Chenin in all its glory.

Swartland is noted for its warm and dry summers with the nearby Atlantic acting as an air-conditioning unit, while its ancient geology has brought a mixture of unique soils. For the Mullineuxs, the “landscape bares the souls of grape vines, and in those varieties that can take the ruggedness, true personality of site is revealed.”

Mullineux Signature Old Vines White 2022

£120.00 per 6 bottles IB

The Swartland is blessed with an abundance of old-vine Chenin, which forms the backbone of this superb white blend. Throw in several small parcels of Mediterranean varieties and the result is a wonderfully charismatic white, with complexity, balance, and aromatic lift. Tim Atkin gives 94 points, describing it as “intense, concentrated and poised, it's a wine with honeysuckle and aromatic spice aromas and flavours of citrus, apricot and quince.”

Mullineux Single Terroir
'Iron' Syrah 2019

£325.00 per 6 bottles IB

Located on the rolling hills outside of Malmesbury, the ‘Iron’ vineyard has a reputation for producing deeply fragrant and structured Syrahs, mostly due to a combination of dry land bush vines and the ancient gravelly Koffieklip soils. Another one of Tim Atkin’s ‘Wines of the Year’, this is the “broadest, richest and most structured of the three Mullineux soil Syrahs, with lots of extract and concentration”, and a mammoth 96 points to match.

Mullineux Single Terroir
'Granite' Syrah 2019

£325.00 per 6 bottles IB

Planted in the late 80’s, the ‘Granite’ vineyard is a single parcel of dry land bush vines, which sit on decomposed granitic soils. The resulting wine has tremendous freshness and a distinctly floral character and is arguably the most elegant of the single terroir Syrahs. Wine Advocate award 94+ points for the 2019, describing it as “gorgeous… [it] continues to offer its secrets as it reveals layers of complexity upon the refined, fresh and thoughtful finish. Bravo, I'm going back for another sip!”

Mullineux Single Terroir
'Schist' Syrah 2019

£325.00 per 6 bottles IB

This single terroir Syrah is taken from the Roundstone Estate in Swartland, home of Mullineux. The structured schist soils mean that the tannins are broader, the fruit a little darker, and the ageing potential all the more phenomenal. Wine Advocate call the 2019 “floral and juicy with fantastic depth and finesse” followed by a glowing score of 94+ points. There is plenty of power here, which is balanced by a florality and delicacy of fruit.

Momento is the solo project from dynamic winemaker and recent recipient of Tim Atkin’s South African Young Winemaker of the Year, Marelise Niemann.

Following a stint in Priorat, Marelise returned with an eye for Mediterranean varietals and old-vine fruit and so began making her own characterful wines in the Bot River. She describes her approach as "minimal intervention, putting terroir front and centre" with an emphasis on purity of fruit.

The gateway to Walker Bay, Bot River is renowned for its cool maritime microclimate. Coupled with distinct shale and clay soils, the wines are characterised by their wonderful precision of fruit and elegant texture.

Momento
Chenin Blanc Verdelho 2019

£105.00 per 6 bottles IB

For Marelise, Chenin Blanc without Verdelho is like ‘dancing without music’. 60% Chenin and 40% Verdelho, this is the most complex blend in Momento’s line-up, comprising of fruit from eight distinct vineyards. Neal Martin gives 93 points, describing it as “an excellent, quite compelling Chenin… scents of white peach, grapefruit, and orange blossom… the palate is well balanced with a fine bead of acidity." The addition of Verdelho means there is a melodic backing track of freshness and energy to Chenin’s twirling richness and generosity of fruit.

Momento
Grenache Noir 2021

£125.00 per 6 bottles IB

Momento began life with just two barrels of grenache noir and Marelise believes that this is one of the most important grapes for South Africa’s future. 2021 was a wonderful vintage, resulting in delicate and complex wines that will stand the test of time. Tim Atkin awards 93 points for “a floral, delicate yet focused number, with red cherry and pomegranate flavours, negligible wood and subtly garrigue aromas.” With an aim to preserve the vibrancy and energy, this has been fermented with an early picked, 30% whole bunch component.

Only established in 2007, Crystallum have made great strides in a short space of time and are now one of the most highly regarded wineries in South Africa. A small boutique winery in the Hemel-en-Aarde region of Walker Bay, Crystallum are at the forefront of the ‘New Wave’ movement in South Africa.

Brothers Andrew and Peter-Allan Finlayson are at the helm and the siblings have winemaking in the blood; father, Peter, is widely recognised as a pioneer in the production of cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.

Responsible for some of the region’s finest Chardonnays and Pinot Noirs, the brotherly duo are always on the lookout for new vineyards, and, with each passing year, their wines only get better and better. In 2021, Peter-Allan’s immense skill and knowledge was recognised by being named Tim Atkin MW’s South African Winemaker of the Year.

'Clay Shales'
Chardonnay 2022

£148.00 per 6 bottles IB

From a high altitude coastal site, this wine takes its name from the Boekkeveld clay and shale soils on which it is grown. This special terroir forms the basis for a balanced, Grand Cru-contesting Chardonnay, which, for Tim Atkin, “deserves its reputation as one of the Cape's best Chardonnays.” Awarding 96 points for this intensely expressive wine, he calls it “a complex, energetic, full malolactic style with nuanced oak, cashew and lemon butter flavours.” Don’t be fooled by its immediate drinkability, this has plenty of structure to age.

Peter Max
Pinot Noir 2022

£120.00 per 6 bottles IB

Named in honour of the two growers who supplied the fruit for the first vintage of this wine, the Peter Max is a multi-vineyard Pinot Noir blend. A savoury and distinctly Burgundian expression, Tim Atkin MW awards 92 points, lauding the wine for its “white pepper and rose petal top notes and flavours of red cherry, plum, and wild strawberry”. This is an engaging style that is the perfect gateway to the wonderful world of Crystallum.

'Cuvée Cinema'
Pinot Noir 2022

£188.00 per 6 bottles IB

A year prior to vines being introduced, a film based on the life of Napoleon was shot on the Cinéma site, hence the cuvée's filmic name. This wine has become something of a cult classic and is a magnificent expression of Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir. A premium single vineyard, Tim Atkin gives 96 points, calling it “a wine that is so delicious that you want to drink the whole bottle on your own… it has tobacco pouch and clove aromas… fleshy tannins and juicy bramble and wild strawberry fruit.” A rising star of South Africa.

'Mabalel'
Pinot Noir 2022

£188.00 per 6 bottles IB

Continuing the artistic theme, Mabalel is named after a poem by famed South African polymath Eugen Marais. Planted at 700m and surrounded by snow-capped mountains, the Kaaimansgat farm is the perfect breeding ground for vibrant and ethereal Pinot. Another 96-pointer from Tim Atkin, the 2022 is “focused, chiselled and refined, with scented 20% new oak, lots of acidity and minerality and flavours of orange zest and summer berries.” Irresistible now, even better in a decade's time.

Van Wyk is the eponymous project from winemaker Justin Van Wyk of Glen Constantia fame. Exceptionally well-priced, his wines are created out of a love for what he describes as 'undiscovered' vineyards.

Justin is very selective about the vineyards and vines he uses, searching every nook and cranny of the greater Western Cape for only the very best; in particular, the weathered 520-million-year-old granite soils are fundamental to his wines. Sourcing grapes from old vines, especially Chenin and Cinsault, his passion for the Cape's heritage varietals means that his winemaking methods flaunt, rather than mask, their natural character.

Family is clearly at the heart of the Van Wyk project, with each cuvée named after one of Justin's daughters.

Rachel Rose
Skin Fermented White 2021

£90.00 per 6 bottles IB

A rare and triumphant combination of equal parts Chenin Blanc and Viognier, Tim Atkin lauds the 2021, calling it “textured yet refreshing, all pear, quince and green apple flavours and a lightly toasty finish.” A short period of extended skin contact gives this white added complexity and weight, yet there is an underlying freshness throughout making this a superb all-rounder.  

Rebecca May
2020

£90.00 per 6 bottles IB

Made using 68% Cinsault from Darling, a region known for its low-yielding vines and highly perfumed reds, this is a delightfully fresh Rhône-style blend that showcases the Cape’s capabilities. Whole bunch fermentation followed by 8 months in barrel, Vinous’ Neal Martin is a fan of the 2020’s exuberance, noting that “it has an intense nose with raspberry coulis, marmalade and cassis fruit.” Affable in its youth, time in bottle will only make this more inviting.

Joint-project of friends Chris Williams and James Reid, The Foundry was established back in 2001.

Chris was a former understudy at the prestigious Meerlust Estate and, after a brief spell in the UK Trade, he returned to South Africa to focus on The Foundry. Working closely with a handful of growers, this small négociant business produces characterful, brilliantly priced wines from impeccably sourced fruit.

Since 2020, The Foundry has called Voor Paardeberg its home. A small-winegrowing region near Paarl, this appellation is cited as being the birthplace of the recent viticultural revolution in South Africa, attracting some of the country’s best talent.  

The Foundry
Viognier 2021

£63.97 per 6 bottles IB | £96.00 per 6 bottles DP inc. VAT
Available For Immediate Delivery

Chris prefers more linear styles of wine and so it comes as little surprise that this is one of the crispest, most refreshing examples of Viognier out there. Sourced from a vineyard situated only 6km from the sea, this is an elegant, beautifully perfumed white with apricot and honeysuckle tempered by a mineral steeliness. Receiving 93 points, Platter’s calls the 2021 vintage “one of SA’s best… lively, juicy flesh, finishing in a mouthwatering fantail.”

The Foundry
Syrah 2020

£83.97 per 6 bottles IB | £120.00 per 6 bottles DP inc. VAT
Available For Immediate Delivery

“This could be direct from the Northern Rhône!” exclaims Neal Martin on his way to awarding 93 points. From its inviting nose of blueberries, black pepper, and cloves, to the silky, fine-grained tannins, everything about this wine is beautifully controlled. Chris uses large terracotta pots sourced from Extremadura in Spain to vinify this wine, which contributes to its sublime texture. Truly a gem of a wine that is frankly unbelievable for the price.