Zandvliet’s Renaissance

Friday, 11 March, 2016
Zandvliet Wine Estate
Zandvliet, one of the country’s historical wine farms situated on the outskirts of Ashton, has embraced a new direction with the return to harvesting by hand during the 2016 harvest season. According to wine maker, Jacques Cilliers...

Zandvliet was one of the Robertson Valley’s very first farms to use a harvesting machine, but that their new approach includes once again engaging the people of the valley. “The story behind a wine plays a vital role in the enjoyment experienced by the consumer and the story begins in the vineyard with people … not a harvesting machine,” he says. “Harvest time is a festive period on the farm and this year we’re celebrating the taking off of 50ha of top quality grapes with the sale of our Gregoire Harvester.”

Although the latest harvesters work the vineyards with great care, Cilliers and his team decided to return to the more natural method of handling the vines. “Harvesting by hand enables us to be very selective on what goes into the bin and to exclude poor bunches with sunburn or rot,” he explains. “Additional benefits include that no wildlife find their way into the tank and damage to the vines is limited to a minimum. “

Zandvliet’s commitment to the social upliftment of the region and its people finds expression in their new approach.  “Despite the uncertainties surrounding the threat of strikes and the fact that one cannot quite start harvesting in the middle of the night, the pros of harvesting by hand far outweighs the cons for us. The element of pride felt after a hard day’s work, and the friendly bantering one hears along the lines, make this a wonderful time of year. For me it is all about people converging early morning, experiencing the sunrise and then sharing the joy of creating a noble product,” says Cilliers.

Visit Zandvliet for an authentic wine experience. The tasting venue is open from Mondays to Fridays between 09h00 and 17h00, and on Saturdays and public holidays from 10:00 to 14:00. For more information about their exquisite range of wines, visit www.zandvliet.co.za or contact them at by +27.236151146.