Koelfontein Estate

Wine grapes are grown on a much smaller scale to other fruit on the farm, but have in recent times also garnered a significant reputation for Koelfontein which is also one of the few farms in the Ceres district to grow wine grapes and produce a wine range.

In the early days of the farm, wine grapes were grown for distilling into brandy (or stookwyn), initially for the family’s private consumption and medicinal purposes, but eventually also distilled on a commercial scale

For many years Francois Conradie supplied his Columbar grapes to a co-operative winery in Wolseley. The wines made from those grapes were doing so well that the winemaker eventually convinced him to plant some Chardonnay when the cultivar entered the country in the late Eighties. The maiden vintage was a great success, earning a Veritas Double-Gold medal, which resulted in Ceres becoming a Wine of Origin Region. Following this success, other cultivars were also planted on Koelfontein – Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz.

Handri and his brother Zulch launched the Koelfontein wine label in 2002 and our wines have continued to collect accolades, from the Shiraz 2004 earning a Veritas Double-Gold medal as well as being runner up in the 2006 Wine Magazine Shiraz Challenge to the Chardonnay 2011 being awarded a Gran d’Or (double gold) at the Michelangelo International Wine Awards in 2013.

WINE TASTING

The old wine cellar, with the copper brandy still alongside it, and water mill were restored in the early 2000’s by Francois Conradie. But the natural heritage of Koelfontein is as important to those who live here as is the preservation of historical family relics.

The restored wine cellar, known as Die Kelder, now houses wine tasting for visitors to Koelfontein and serves as a glimpse into the farm’s history. Die Kelder was the first permanent dwelling on Koelfontein and was home to the first two generations of Conradies. Once the family moved to a newer, larger house in the late 1800’s this building was converted into a wine cellar and blacksmith’s forge. Today the family tradition of brandy distilling is still honoured on Koelfontein every year when witblits is distilled from Hanepoort wine made here.