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  • CELEBRATING NEDERBURG’S HEROES

    Nederburg earned the highest number of five-star ratings in the Platter’s South African Wine Guide, along with two other wineries.

     

    Nederburg launched a series of individually-labelled gourmet wines as the Heritage Heroes collection, available exclusively in specialty wine shops and at fine dining restaurants. Each wine has been named after a prominent personality who played a role in shaping Nederburg’s reputation. The Anchorman Chenin Blanc is named to honour Philippus Wolvaart. (1791) Made from one of South Africa’s earliest-planted varietals, it pays tribute to the man who started it all at Nederburg. The Brew Master, a Bordeaux-style red, commemorates the skills and pursuit of excellence established by Johann Graue (1937).

     

    The Beautiful Lady Gewȕrztraminer recalls the elegantly gracious, sophisticated and lovely Ilse Graue, who introduced a tone of splendour to Nederburg and remained a loyal wife to Johann. (1937). The Airhawk wooded Sauvignon Blanc captures the spirit of their son, Arnold Graue, an immensely talented winemaker, with a huge appetite for life, who died tragically young. (1953)  The Motorcycle Marvel is a Rhône-style red that exemplifies the exacting attitude and adventurous personality of the legendary Gȕnter Brӧzel (1956).

     

    Nederburg also unveiled a new lifestyle range of varietal wines under the 56HUNDRED label. The very smooth-drinking wines bursting with fruit flavour have been named for the price of 5 600 guilders paid for the farm, in 1791 by founder, Philippus Wolvaart, Beginning with a Cabernet Sauvignon and a Chenin blanc, the range recalls his never-say-die attitude in taming a wilderness and beginning a legacy that has lasted well over two centuries.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • PLATTER WINERY OF THE YEAR

    Nederburg was made a member of the Biodiversity & Wine Initiative for its efforts to promote conservation and rehabilitate the indigenous habitat on its own farms. 

    Nederburg was ranked Platter’s South African Wine Guide Winery of the Year, for earning an unprecedented five, five-star ratings, while the 2010 Lyric was rated that year’s SuperQuaffer of the Year in the guide.

    The 2009 Eminence earned the highest score at the inaugural Five Nations Wine Challenge, involving Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Argentina and South Africa.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • SWEET NEWS

    The 2007 Eminence was judged the top-scoring wine at the 2010 Muscats du Monde

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • SUCCESS ABROAD

    Nederburg was judged the most successful South African wine producer at the International Wine & Spirit Competition.

    Wilhelm Pienaar was appointed to make the winery’s red wines, taking up the position after spending two years in France, where he obtained an MSc in viticulture, oenology and marketing from the esteemed University of Montpellier. He also holds a master’s in viticulture from the University of Stellenbosch. 

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • SUCCESS AT HOME

    Nederburg was judged the most successful producer of the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show (an achievement repeated the following year).

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • THE BEST IN THE WORLD

    Nederburg won the Rosemount Trophy for the world’s best Shiraz, for the 2005 Manor House Shiraz, awarded at the International Wine & Spirit Competition

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • NEW TALENT AND A NEW CHAPTER

    Razvan Macici was appointed cellar master.

     

    Born and trained in Romania, Razvan worked extensively in Europe before moving to South Africa in 1997.  He had visited the country in 1994 and it had so impressed him, he vowed to return and make it his home.  Wine is literally in his blood. Both parents held senior posts at the Romanian National Research Institute for Viticulture and Oenology and his sister is also a winemaker. He holds a Masters in winemaking from the University of Iasi-Romania and has been shaping the style of Nederburg wines since his appointment as cellar master, bringing to the range a hallmark fruit vibrancy matched by complexity and elegance of structure. 

     

    Under his direction, Nederburg has continued to win some of the most sought-after accolades in the international world of wine, maintaining the reputation as South Africa’s most awarded winery. Honouring the winery’s Heritage Heroes, he has continued the legacy of his Winemaster predecessors, garnering trophies, medals and other accolades. These have been for wines across the multi-tiered range, from the popular Foundation and Winemaster’s Reserve offerings to the more specialised bottlings. His Ingenuity and capacity for creating new and exciting wines have thrilled winelovers but his unerring ability to appeal to more popular tastes with lighter options has DeLighted them too. 

     

    Nederburg’s access to the grapes from the Fairtrade-accredited Papkuilsfontein Vineyards, near Darling, also gives winelovers the chance for Fair Selection. A premium is paid for these grapes that workers on the farm, channel into projects to enhance their lives, those of their families and community. 

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • SOCIAL INVESTMENT

    Nederburg joined the Rural Foundation and appointed a full-time social worker to implement a development programme for farm workers.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • PROTECTING A LEGACY

    Nederburg was the first farm in South Africa to be declared a conservation area by the National Monuments Council.

    The first wines from grapes grown at Elgin were produced.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • TIME FOR CHANGE

    Günter Brözel retired and was succeeded by Newald Marais  

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • HIGHEST INTERNATIONAL SCORE

    Nederburg achieved a score of 93,2 at the International Wine & Spirit Competition held in London for Edelkeur. It was the highest-scoring wine of the show. 

    Nederburg also established the first vineyard in the Elgin area after years’ of research by viticulturist and MD Ernst le Roux into the suitability of the area for growing top-quality wine grapes. Today, the area is widely acknowledged as the source of some of South Africa’s finest wines.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • CROWNED INTERNATIONAL WINEMAKER OF THE YEAR

    Gȕnter Brözel became the first in South Africa to win the International Wine & Spirits Competition’s Robert Mondavi Winemaker of the Year Award, bringing the international spotlight to this country. The honour was the result of Nederburg wines winning the highest combined total score on the show. That same year he also won the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year title for the best Gewȕrztraminer entered.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • NEDERBURG AUCTION IS BORN

    The first Nederburg Auction was staged to showcase South Africa’s rarest and finest wines, including Nederburg’s own Edelkeur.  It has since become one of the top auctions in the world, ranked alongside Hospice de Beaune (France), Kloster Eberbach (Germany), the Napa Valley Auction (US) and Sonoma Valley Harvest Wine Auction (US).  It is a glamorous, by-invitation-only event for members of the wine trade and the glitterati, and ranks as a highlight of the South African wine calendar.

     

    (Patrick Grubb, a Master of Wine and a director of Sotheby’s wine department, wielded the hammer at Nederburg’s first auction.  He continued to do so every year until 2005, making him the world’s longest-serving wine auctioneer. Now Anthony Barne, also a Master of Wine, of Bonhams in London is the auctioneer at Nederburg.)

     

    At the inaugural auction, just six producers, including Nederburg, were represented.  (Today, literally hundreds of wineries submit their offerings for evaluation by the selection panel.  The auction is held over two days in September and yields wine sales worth millions of rand.)

     

    Nederburg, faced with the problem of how to name its many innovative wines created exclusively for the auction, eventually decided on a numbering system.  Red wines would be numbered and named R100 to R200, dry whites, D201 to D300, and dessert (sweet) wines, S301 to S400. This system is still in use for Nederburg’s auction wines today, and is preceded by the term, “Private Bin.”

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • INVESTING IN EXCELLENCE

    Nederburg acquired a dedicated plant nursery at Ernita in Wellington, where superior plant material could be propagated for its vineyards, once again underscoring the importance of grape quality in producing wines of excellence. 

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • EDELKEUR, A MAGICAL ELIXIR

    When Günter Brözel created South Africa’s first noble late harvest wine, Edelkeur, legislation in South Africa didn’t permit the making of natural table wines if their sugar content was above 20 grams per litre. That made it illegal to sell Edelkeur. Fortunately, after successful lobbying of the authorities, the wine could be made available for sale. It debuted at the Nederburg Auction, first held in 1975 as a showcase for this and other select rare wines. 

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • A GREAT HONOUR

    In 1967 a cargo liner was being built for Safmarine in a remote Irish shipyard. The liner was named Nederburg, in acknowledgement of the winery’s reputation as the epitome of excellence at the Cape. Nederburg served as inspiration for the vessel which was a feat of modern design and engineering. The SA Nederburg was launched with a bottle of Nederburg Dry Sparkling Wine (flown to Ireland for the occasion)  

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • EXCITING NEW TALENT EMERGES

    After the death of his son, Arnold, Johann Graue was a broken man.  At first he thought of giving up Nederburg but then realised that to continue would be an affirmation of all they had achieved together.  He looked to Germany for another winemaker, where many were keen to escape the post-war hardships for a new life.  The person he chose as his assistant winemaker was the 21-year-old Gűnter Brözel, who came from a long line of coopers and had studied winemaking at the Weinsberg Institute.

     

    He sailed to the Cape to take up his position, arriving on the morning of February 6, 1956, in time for the harvest.  As his ship entered the dock and the clouds lifted, he was met by his first vision of the famous Table Mountain.  Having just stepped on land, he had his first sighting of lions but he is always quick to explain that they were from a visiting circus! Keen to get started, he insisted on visiting his place of work that first day, even before thinking of settling into his new accommodation.

     

    Just five months after joining Nederburg, he was promoted to cellar master, a position he held for 33 years, retiring in 1989.  From the start, his punctilious nature and forthright but very principled personality made themselves known. Looking back on his earliest days as a cellar assistant, he recalls a confrontation with his immediate superior, who had instructed him to fill some 600-litre barrels with Cabernet Sauvignon, destined for export to London.  An expert cooper in his own right, he took one look at the vats and refused to fill them because he saw they were not suitable in either quality or style. Afraid he may have overstepped the mark, he was not only relieved to learn that the offending vats were to be replaced with more appropriate barrels but he was promoted to cellar master.

     

    Throughout his career, this 20th century winemaking legend demanded nothing less than the best from the viticultural and cellar teams.  At first light he could be seen surveying the vineyards from his 250cc BSA motorcycle and then checking that everyone and everything was working to the plan.

     

    Under the 33-year leadership of this Motorcycle Marvel, Nederburg’s prize-winning momentum established by the Graues, continued.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • A TIME OF TRAGEDY

    Johann and his wife, Ilse were on holiday in Germany, leaving Nederburg in Arnold’s care. Taking time off, the light aircraft enthusiast hired a Piper Cruiser to take a flip over the Cape Peninsula one spring day. Sadly, he died in an air collision on September 12, at just 29 years’ old.

     

    The shadow of the tragedy hung heavily over the annual Western Province Wine Show held at Paarl less than a fortnight after the accident, when Nederburg broke all previous records by winning 12 first prizes and the coveted General Smuts trophy, amongst other honours.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • NEDERBURG EXCELS ABROAD

    By 1950 Johann Graue had enough faith in his wines to submit several entries to the Empire Wine Exhibition in London and was awarded four prizes!

    Nederburg also won a gold medal at the prestigious Farmer’s Weekly show. By this time, Nederburg’s reputation had stimulated such a demand for its wines that it was battling to keep up with orders as the farm had reached its production limit. The only way to expand was to buy more suitable land. 

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • AIMING HIGH

    By the time Arnold returned to Nederburg, his skills were well established. The Airhawk, who loved to fly in his spare time, could at last, make use of the most modern plant and machinery to advance the technique of cold fermentation. 

    This marked the beginning of a most important phase in the history of Nederburg.

    He converted an old office into a laboratory where he could conduct experiments and tests. He also introduced a system of sterile bottling, at a time when Europe was still grappling with the concept.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • A TIME OF GREAT INNOVATION

    In January, a cooling machine was bought and by September the automatic bottling and labelling line was in use. 

     

    Arnold opened some of his father’s wines to share with colleagues in Europe and reported that although the Riesling was appreciated as a “high class, clean and faultless wine” equivalent to the best Swiss wines, the Cabernet was regarded as even higher in quality.

     

    He continued his studies in Lausanne and then moved to the world-famous viticultural school, Geisenheim in the Rheingau region of Germany.

     

    Nederburg won the coveted Stellenbosch Cup, awarded by the Western Province Agricultural Society, for best export quality white wine in 1947 (and again in 1950, 1951 and 1952!)

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • A NEW GENERATION AND NEW IDEAS

    The intention was for Johann Graue’s son, Arnold to become a great winemaker, who could succeed his father. First he trained in Switzerland on Lake Zurich.

    As early as 1946 a champagne plant arrived at Nederburg from Bordeaux and at about the same time hydraulic wine presses were acquired.  

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • SUCCESS AT HOME

    Johann Georg Graue bought Nederburg in 1937 and soon began pioneering new practices in wine-growing and winemaking that were to change South Africa’s wine industry. His vision and courage and his capacity to recognise where real quality lay created a precedent followed at Nederburg ever since.

     

    Before coming to South Africa, Graue had been part-owner and director of the Haake-Beck Brewery in Bremen. The Brew Master, created a new Nederburg crest, that with its anchors, is an adaptation of the crest of Haake-Beck Brewery (that still produces Becks beer, today).

     

    He understood the impact of plant selection, the choice of vineyard site, as well as viticulture on the quality of the grapes used to make his wines. He also introduced the technique of cold fermentation to improve wine quality. These important innovations for their time were to underpin Nederburg’s reputation for excellence. Under his leadership, Nederburg’s award-winning reputation accelerated and so began a prize-winning legacy.

     

    Initially, though, Graue and the Beautiful Lady, his wife Ilse struggled to get anyone to pay attention to their wines that they labelled by hand, themselves.  The couple approached some of the top hotels but the only establishment prepared to give Nederburg a try was the Queens Hotel in Sea Point. To celebrate they returned to the hotel to dine, dressing up for the occasion.  They called for a bottle of Nederburg Riesling and when it was brought to the table, Johann pronounced it delicious to all within earshot!

     

    Warm and hospitable hosts, they enjoyed entertaining and made everyone feel welcome, regardless of origin, whether friend, business executive or Baronne.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • A PRIZE-WINNING TRADITION BEGINS

    Nederburg received its first recorded prize at the Paarl Agricultural Show. That same year, Nederburg won first prizes for both its 1925 and 1926 export wines at the Rosebank Wine Show.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • NEDERBURG RESOLD

    Nederburg was sold to Maurice Pare, who sold to Robert Adolphus Lyall (a soldier in the Indian Political Service and a British Diplomat) in 1924. 

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • NEDERBURG BOUGHT BY PARLIAMENTARIAN

    Hauptfleisch sold Nederburg to Henry Latham Currey. Currey was a member of the last Cape Cabinet before the formation of the Union of South Africa in 1910.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • A NEW OWNER

    Nederburg was sold to Petrus Johannes Hauptfleisch

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • NEDERBURG CHANGES HANDS

    By 1810, in addition to wine, he was producing an impressive 2 640 litres of brandy. All the more noteworthy when one considers it takes 5 litres of wine to make a single litre of brandy. According to farm records, brandy making continued on the farm until 1844 and was then revived early in the 21st century.

    In 1810 Wolvaart sold the farm to Willem Petrus Retief and Nederburg remained in the Retief family for seven decades.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • CREATING A LEGACY

    Wolvaart proved to be something of a Winemaster. By 1808 he had planted 63 000 vines and was producing 40 leaguers (23 280 litres) of wine and another 2 328 litres of brandy. His focus, dedication, pioneering spirit, patience and care, set a tradition at Nederburg that still holds today.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.

  • IN THE BEGINNING

    On November 1, 1791, Philippus Bernadus Wolvaart, aged 42 was granted ownership by the Dutch East India Company (DEIC) of a property covering the equivalent of 49 ha. He paid the sum of 56HUNDRED guilders for the farm, lying between the Berg and Palmiet Rivers in the district of Drakenstein (that today we know as Paarl). He called it Nederburgh, after a DEIC official. However, the “h” appears to have been dropped from the name very early in the history of the farm.


    He set about clearing his land immediately, using his 10 draught oxen and six horses. Every year he extended his plantings.


    The Anchorman in Nederburg’s history, he is the man who started it all, preparing the Foundation for every Winemaster to follow.

    View our History Video

    For generations the Winemasters at the Nederburg Estate have been mastering the craft of making superior and highly acclaimed wines. It is the story of how one man’s dream and unyielding passion has created a legacy of wine mastery that has endured for over two centuries. This is the story of Nederburg and its Winemasters.