Tulbagh Winery, since 1906

In ancient times the rich and fertile Tulbagh valley was in an unspoiled and verdant state and home to thousands of wild animals and an incredible variety of plants of the indigenous Cape floral kingdom.

It was only after the Dutch settlers created the town in 1658 that civilization came to this part of the Cape. Today, diverse floral species are still evident in the area and this fertile valley produces some of the country’s best red and white wines, olive oils, peaches, grain, pears and 70 percent of all the plums harvested in the country.

The northern side of the valley is guarded by the great Winterhoek mountains towering 2077 meters above sea level, to the west the Obiquarange stands guard while the great Witzenberg mountains forms the eastern boundary. Snowcapped during the cold winter months, these mountains now guard the picturesque town of Tulbagh. The renowned Church Street with its array of historic Cape Dutch, Edwardian and Victorian architecture, which were restored to its original pride after a devastating earthquake, struck the Valley in 1969.

Tulbagh Winery was founded in 1906 and ever since produced quality wines. Tulbagh is studded with a history of golden ‘first’ over the past 109 years: The first export cellar, the first cellar to manufacture sparkling wine and the first cellar to launch a ship when Queen Mother christened the 38,000 ton Windsor Castle with Witzenberg. On 3 January 2006 one of the largest cellars in the country was born in the rich and fertile Tulbagh valley, with the merger of Tulbagh and Porterville Cellar. With its main office situated in the fertile valley at the foot of the Winterhoek Mountains, known as Het Land van Waveren, the cellar grasped the opportunity to maximise the benefits of strong brands, superior marketing, increased cost effective production and wider distribution. The emphasis of Tulbagh is still to produce quality wine that is consumer related and best value.

Tulbagh wines cover the full spectrum of South Africa’s best cultivars, whether it is the soft easy-drinking red, or the fresh and piquant dry whites, the emphasis is on fruity blends that reflect the friendliness of the region. There’s a new emphasis on reds that range from full-bodied Cabernet to berry-rich fruity Pinotage, Merlot and Shiraz. The award winning Tulbagh Reserve known as “Klein Tulbagh”, and the commercial Tulbagh Winery and Flippenicerange.

The enthusiasm of an energetic team is reflecting in each and every wine produced by Tulbagh. We as a team, am proud of the achievements that Tulbagh reached in the market place over the years. The resulting quality wines are offered with pride and served with confidence. Old World value combined with a fresh, modern look to appeal to a new generation of consumer.

Tulbagh consist of two wine regions, namely the unique region of Tulbagh and the Swartland region. This unique combination allows for both blended and certified wines from different regions with vastly differing climatic and soil conditions. These conditions allow for creative winemaking as the grapes ripen at different times. Needless to say, Tulbagh has garnered many industry accolades and awards over the years.

Newly designed websites, participation in community events and sponsorship drives have enabled Tulbagh to increase its public awareness profile and through its enterprising marketing strategy is kept at the forefront of wine news, both locally and abroad.
In 2012 Tulbagh Winery changed from a Co-Operative to a private company and will operate under the name Tulbagh Winery International Limited.

Community development
Tulbagh has introduced the long-term Moravia Empowerment Project. Although the project is still in its infancy, it has generated excitement and perhaps more importantly, hope and prosperity for a better future for all. Part of this project, exotic cultivars like Barbera, Grenache Blanc, Malbec, Petit Verdot and TourigaNacional was introduced and will be in full production in 2009.

Support for Caring Centres
The winery supports the two old-age caring centres of HuisDisa in Tulbagh and HuisNerina in Porterville, by donating a percentage from each bottle of wine sold in South Africa, to them. This community involvement also appears on the back labels of its wines.

Vision
The vision of Tulbagh is to become the leader in brand building, value products, client service and exceptional moral standards and business ethics.

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