Piekenierskloof Wine Company is a vibrant company which fills an important niche in the regional economy. It assists local wine grape growers (its Fairtrade partners) by paying fair prices for their crops. This supporting role uplifts both the farm workers and the wider farming community. Fairtrade inspectors monitor the supply chain and Mother Earth is in charge of growing the grapes.
Our Story
Nestled in the Citrusdal Mountains, 50 km north of Swartland, the magnificent Piekenierskloof plateau, provides the perfect natural environment for vineyards to thrive. At 750 meters above sea level, its climate, characterised by warm days and cool nights, is perfect for grapes to slowly ripen and develop complexity of flavours. Dryland, unirrigated, ungrafted old bush vines on original rootstock (makstok), planted in the 1960’s are still in production.
The majority shareholders of Piekenierskloof Wine Company are the two brothers, Johan Abraham van Zyl (Oubaas) and Johannes Potgieter van Zyl (Potgieter), sons of Carel Petrus van Zyl. Carel van Zyl planted the block of Chenin and Muscadel vines in 1962 in the Piekenierskloof area that is still in production. The history of wine runs deep in the viens of these two brothers, since they are the third generation of the Van Zyl family to produce wine in the unique terroir of Piekenierskloof.
Piekenierskloof Wine Company
