Host to
some five million visitors per annum, the Garden Route is rapidly emerging as a
unique and well-respected Wine of Origin region thanks to pioneering
Plettenberg Bay, says Ling Dobson, Pam Golding Properties area principal in
Plett and Knysna.
Pam Golding
Properties (PGP) has just concluded the sale of the boutique Luka Wine Farm
near Plettenberg Bay for close to the asking price of R7.25 million. Set on
seven hectares, the estate’s Sauvignon Blanc received a Silver International
Michelangelo Award in 2012 and the Double Gold Vitis Vinifera Award 2013 South
Africa. Now PGP has the sole mandate to
market the ground-breaking Bramon Wine Estate in Plett, which is the first
producing wine farm in the area so far east of the Western Cape, with the first
vines planted in 2000.
Says
Dobson: “Bramon Wine Estate has been the pioneer and key driver of our
innovative Wine & Bubbly Route, further enhancing the unique character of
the region and providing a boost for tourism as well as impetus for job creation
and other economic development opportunities. With a thriving restaurant and
award-winning boutique concept wines, it is well placed to support further
growth in the burgeoning wine industry in the area as Bramon Wine Cellar acts
as the central production facility for the region.
“Currently,
there are some 18 new wine farms in development (50ha under vine), seven of
which have their wines vinified in Bramon Cellar, with others coming on line
and many more in the planning phase. These growers have the option to sell
their output to the cellar, with the grapes processed into Bramon Methode Cap
Classique and still wines, or alternatively have their harvests processed and
bottled under their own label. Plett Tourism has assisted in creating the Plett
Wine Route, which aims to establish this as a world class wine region.”
Marketed at
R33 million and producing a variety of cultivars including the award-winning
Methode Cap Classique, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Shiraz Rose, the 17.475 hectare Bramon Wine Estate has won numerous
awards, including Michelangelo International Silver 2013, Vitis Vinifera Gold
2013, Old Mutual Bronze 2013 and 4 and 4.5 Stars in Platter 2014. Cellar master
Anton Smal of Villiera acclaim, enthuses about the diversity of flavours attributed
to soil, climate and good old fashioned care. The estate includes a 660sqm wine
cellar with 250 ton capacity and state of the art equipment, three bedroom main
house with deck and pool overlooking a waterfall and with mountain views, two
bedroom log home plus bachelor flat, 200-seater restaurant, tasting centre,
vineyards, two dams, and 700m of river frontage.
Says
Dobson: “The new winelands area of Plett has been compared favourably with New
Zealand, not only for its climatic and geographic characteristics, but for the
style of new aged wines which are changing perceptions of wine and bubbly,
making local indeed ‘lekker’. With a gentle ocean breeze sweeping through the
vines, glorious weather and a wine region that can be traversed in a variety of
ways, the Plett Winelands – which hosts its own annual Plett Wine & Bubbly
Festival in October - will be making a definite mark on the South African wine
industry.”
Commenting
on the property market in Plett and Knysna Dobson says PGP sales in excess of
R84 million from March to August 2014 show a healthy increase in sales turnover
of R74 million for the same period in 2013. “Our average selling price is
currently R2.775 million which reflects a significant increase of 31 percent
over last year and which is indicative of buyers purchasing in a slightly
higher price bracket. Apart from local buyers, who are either reinvesting,
downscaling and acquiring property for all the usual reasons, Cape Town
purchasers – many of whom are relocating here, have overtaken those from
Gauteng, while we are also seeing international buyers from Germany, United
Arab Emirates, Botswana, Sweden and the UK. The latter usually purchase
property for leisure or partial use for several months of the year.
“All the
signs of an improving market are evident. Vacant land sales have picked up,
with bargains currently available ranging in price from below R500 000 in
Pezula Golf Estate and under R2 million in Pezula Private Estate, while
residential developments which were put on hold prior to the slump, are now on
the market offering good value for money. There seems new energy and
confidence in the market in general, and positively, construction of homes
taking place, with 12 houses currently being re-built in Beachy Head in Plett.
There is also growing interest in guesthouses, particularly among German
buyers, with prices of available stock currently in the region of R6.9 million
to R11 million in Plett and from R4.2 million to R14 million in Knysna.
“Further to
this we are experiencing significantly increased interest in industrial and
commercial property as well as farms,” she adds. PGP recently sold two
industrial properties in Knysna in the R2-R3 million price range, both fully
tenanted with yields between 9.5 and 10.5 percent. The properties were acquired
by an investor from the Free State. Interestingly, Knysna’s industrial area has
become something of an ‘old car’ mecca, with the town’s annual Jaguar Simola
Hillclimb drawing an attendance of over 22 220. A local resident who has made his
life-long passion for cars into a successful business is Norman Frost of Frost
Brothers, an icon in the classic and vintage car industry based in premises in
the industrial area and operating mainly via the internet. Car enthusiasts come
from all over the country and even internationally to buy his cars and even
purchase vehicles unseen.”
She says in
Knysna CBD commercial properties are generating heightened interest with a
number of older buildings revamped to offer appealing retail space as well as new
coffee shops and restaurants. With fibre optic cabling being installed, Knysna
will soon be able to offer faster internet, which together with very
competitive rentals and lower overheads is anticipated to attract large
corporate companies which do not need to be located in the cities.
For further information contact Pam Golding Properties Plettenberg Bay on 011 5332103 or PGP Knysna on 044 3825574 or email ling.dobson@pamgolding.co.za.