Zandvliet Wine Estate

Zandvliet Wine Estate is synonymous with Shiraz in South Africa, being one of the very first wineries in the country to bottle this noble cultivar with first plantings dating back to the 1870s. Located on the outskirts of Ashton in the Robertson Valley Wine Route, the estate straddles the Cogmans River with the magnificent Langeberg Mountains embracing it from the north. The farm was proclaimed in 1838 as a 5000-hectare property and was purchased by Jacobus Stephanus de Wet in 1867. The De Wet family maintained ownership for over 140 years until ANB Investments acquired it in 2015, later transferring the wine brand to Van Loveren Family Vineyards in 2019. The magical key to Zandvliet’s success lies in its unique kalkveld soils – calcareous Karoo with red clay underlay, dotted with pockets of chalky limestone. This special terroir, located just 130 kilometers from Cape Agulhas, benefits from cooling ocean breezes. The estate’s Hill of Enon vineyard block sits on an ancient geologically anomalous rocky outcrop with limestone patches dating to the Upper Jurassic period. Under the guidance of winemaker Jacques Cilliers (now with Van Loveren), Zandvliet continues its romance with Shiraz across 40+ vintages. The estate produces multiple ranges including the flagship Kalkveld Shiraz, the Hill of Enon Small Berry Pick range, Zandvliet Estate wines, and the My Best Friend accessible range. Zandvliet has received numerous accolades including Double Gold for Kalkveld 2017 and achieving 95 points in wine competitions. The estate offers wine tastings in a beautiful barrel cellar setting, along with food pairings including the signature Shiraz & Venison pairing, cheese and charcuterie platters, and the Shiraz Master Tasting experience. Open Monday to Saturday, Zandvliet represents over 150 years of winemaking heritage combined with modern expertise to produce what wine critic Michael Fridjhon describes as a ‘renaissance’ at this historic property.