The Winery of Good Hope

Across everything we create, The Winery of Good Hope aims first and foremost to provide its followers with complete quality. Consistently. This whilst combining a keen pursuit of innovation with a very healthy respect for tradition. 

The team...

The Winery team encompasses everything characteristic about the ‘New South Africa’. A diverse cultural and racial mosaic, combining indigenous South Africans with Northern and Southern Hemisphere adoptees - a blending of ideas, of values and of purpose, creating a natural dynamic for innovation and success. 

The Wines...

The Winery's distinctive ranges reflect entirely separate styles. Each focused and yet diverse. Each range has its own raison d'être, independent of the others, though complimentary to the bigger picture. Together providing a variety of options through an extended spectrum of varieties, price points, unique packaging and characterful wines. Wines originating from the most established vineyards of the Cape and wines from the most over-looked or undiscovered sites. The most exciting up-and-coming micro-climates from previously ignored locations across the Cape often providing some of the most interesting additions to our range; whether elegant cool-climate Pinot Noir from up in the Elgin Mountains or Southern-Rhone-like soils in the Swartland producing astonishing fruit from old vine Carignan, Grenache and Mourvedre.

The singular personalities and inimitable characters which make-up this team are evident in each of our distinctive wines. And, as so often in such circumstances, the sum of the parts is so much greater than the ability of the individual. These attributes combine spontaneously with the astounding natural qualities of the Cape, connecting with the combination of elements unique to our soils our climate and our geology. In our minds, as in our wines, it’s all about individuality.

Good wine isn't made in the cellar. It is either confirmed or denied. Vineyards hold the secret to potential and true quality. That is to say a combination of soil, climate and vines. The Winemaker converts or diverts that potential. That is not to underestimate or belittle the role of the Winemaker, as he or she alone can unlock that potential. Alex & team, over many vintages, have built up an intricate knowledge of the vineyards, microclimates and particularities of the Cape –with particular focus on the Helderberg (within Stellenbosch), Elgin (‘up in the mountains’) and the Perdeberg Mountain (in the Swartland). In the team’s view, these are among the most promising and highest potential sites in South Africa for making individualistic and site-driven wines. And so they set about the task of identifying the best possible sites and either establishing vineyards from scratch or forging long-term relationships with the most diligent grape growers within them. Almost 15 vintages and much viticultural input later, the quality of the fruit we now have at our fingertips is a Winemaker's dream. With approximately 15 prime hectares on the Helderberg (Chenin, Chardonnay, Shiraz and Merlot) and a further 3 hectares in Devon Valley (Merlot and Cab), 1 in Elgin (Pinot Noir) and 10 more in the Perderberg (Shiraz/Carignan/Grenache/Mourvedre/Viognier) dedicated solely to Radford Dale, incremental additions will gently swell the production in coming vintages. New plantings, particularly with Pinot Noir and Chenin in particular, will also contribute to ultimately seeing this micro-managed and highly specialised viticultural mosaic grow to its full potential. We see it as a 20 year blue print –which we’re now over half way to achieving. And then we’ll be set for the following 20 years.