Fort Simon Wine Estate

The story of Fort Simon begins in 1901 with a farm called Houmoed — Afrikaans for 'courage' — on the slopes of the Bottelary Hills outside Stellenbosch. In 1961, Dr Simon Uys from Namibia purchased the property, drawn by its potential for viticulture in one of Stellenbosch's most underappreciated sub-regions. The Bottelary Hills receive cooling sea breezes from both False Bay and Table Bay, creating conditions ideal for concentrated reds.

It was Dr Uys's youngest son, Renier, who transformed the family farm into a wine estate. After studying at Elsenburg Agricultural College and gaining experience at Boschendal and Morgenster, Renier moved to Houmoed in 1983. A sculptor by nature — he had shown remarkable talent for shaping form from a young age — Renier applied the same creative vision to shaping the estate itself. In 1997 he designed and built a cellar in the form of a massive fort, constructing it next to the existing Fort Anna and naming it after his father: Fort Simon.

The maiden vintage was produced in 1998, with winemaker Marinus Bredell (formerly of Stellenzicht and Louisvale) crafting eight wines including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Merlot, Shiraz, Pinotage and a Merlot/Pinotage blend. That first blend — named Anna Simon in honour of Renier's mother and the family matriarch — earned a Veritas Double Gold Medal, signalling immediate promise. Today the estate covers 61 hectares under vine.

The wine portfolio is structured across four tiers. The entry-level Michele d'Or range offers accessible, fruit-forward wines. The mid-range Fortress Hill collection showcases the Bottelary terroir. The premium Fort Simon range includes barrel-selected Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. At the top, the Platinum Collection features a Viognier of distinctive character. The estate is celebrated for its bold, 'new world style' wines with robust fruity aromas and luscious texture.

Renier Uys passed away in 2021, marking a profound loss for the estate, but his legacy lives on through the wines and the fort itself. The family continues to run the estate with the same commitment to bold winemaking and warm hospitality that Renier established. Michele Uys, the family matriarch, hosts visitors personally and teaches wine appreciation classes in the tasting room, guiding guests through the flavour profiles and sensory techniques that bring wine to life.

The approach to Fort Simon is theatrical: past a moat and over a suspension bridge, visitors enter Fort Anna for tastings paired with gourmet cheese and charcuterie platters, seated either inside or on a terrace overlooking the Bottelary Hills. It is an estate shaped by a sculptor's eye and a farmer's perseverance — where courage, the meaning of Houmoed, remains the guiding principle.