Baleia Wines & Olive oil

Where the Duivenhoks River meets the Southern Cape coastline near the remote hamlet of Vermaaklikheid, far from the well-trodden wine routes of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek, Jan-Hendrik Joubert discovered something unexpected: ancient limestone soils laden with salt deposits, a maritime microclimate shaped by the nearby St Sebastian Bay, and a terroir unlike anything else in South Africa. In 2009, the Joubert family began planting vines and olive trees on this remote coastal property, establishing Baleia as the first and only winery in the Lower Duivenhoks ward.

The name Baleia is the Portuguese word for whale — a nod to St Sebastian Bay's reputation as one of the great whale nurseries of the southern African coast. Southern right whales calve in these waters each spring, and the estate's vineyards sit close enough to the ocean to feel the salt on the breeze.

Winemaker Gunter Schultz works with the distinctive mineral characteristics of this maritime environment, coaxing wines of unusual salinity and freshness from vineyards that most winemakers would not think to plant. The range includes Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Syrah, Tempranillo, and the estate's signature Sebastian blend. A Syrah Rosé rounds out the portfolio. Each wine carries a distinct coastal character — bright acidity, mineral tension, and a saline edge that sets Baleia apart from inland producers.

The farm is more than wine. The Joubert family cultivates olive groves alongside their vineyards, producing an extra virgin cold-pressed olive oil with distinctive aromas of green tomato and artichoke, finished with a hint of lemon freshness. Coffee is also roasted and sold from the estate.

The tasting room on the N2 near Riversdale offers tastings at R50 per person, open Monday to Thursday from 09:00 to 17:00 and Saturdays from 10:00 to 15:00. The setting is peaceful and unhurried — a working farm with views over the coastal lowlands, far from the tourist crowds.

Free delivery is offered within South Africa for orders over R1,800, making the wines accessible to collectors who cannot easily reach this remote stretch of coastline. The 2026 grape harvest season saw Baleia bringing in fruit under ideal conditions, continuing to refine the expressions of this young but promising terroir. Each vintage reveals more about what these limestone soils and ocean-influenced slopes can deliver.

Baleia is a genuine frontier wine estate, proving that great South African wine can come from places no one expected. The Joubert family's gamble on this remote, wind-swept, whale-watching coastline has produced wines that are gaining recognition for their originality and sense of place.