Grangehurst Winery

Grangehurst began in 1992 in the most unlikely of cellars — a converted squash court on a property at the foot of the Helderberg Mountain in Stellenbosch. Jeremy Walker, a Stellenbosch University oenology graduate who had spent years in the corporate world after completing an MBA at the University of Cape Town, decided to return to his first passion and make wine on his own terms. He purchased some basic equipment, converted the squash court into a makeshift winery, and crushed his maiden vintage just in time for the 1992 harvest.

The name tells the story of the place: "Grange" means a country house with farm buildings, and "hurst" means on a hill — a fitting description of the Walker family's home above the Eikendal Road with its sweeping views over vineyards, farmland, and mountain peaks. From this modest beginning, Walker set out to produce handcrafted red wines using traditional methods, sourcing fruit from carefully selected vineyards across the Stellenbosch district.

The gamble paid off immediately. The first Grangehurst vintage was crowned Champion Wine at the South African Young Wine Show, announcing the arrival of a serious new producer. By 1996, Walker had been invited to join the Cape Winemakers Guild — the invitation-only association of South Africa's most respected winemakers, reserved for those considered to have made a significant contribution to the industry. He has produced a special, limited-release CWG Auction Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve from the 1995 vintage onward.

The squash court served as Grangehurst's cellar from 1992 until 1998, when Walker built a purpose-designed winery on the property. But the garage-winemaker ethos — small batches, hands-on production, uncompromising quality — has never changed. The focus remains exclusively on red wines and a single dry rose, made from six grape varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Merlot, Shiraz, Mourvedre, and Petit Verdot.

The flagship is Nikela, a Cape Blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Shiraz, and Roobernet. The name is a Nguni word meaning "to offer a gift of dedication, respect, or a tribute to one's ancestors" — Walker's tribute to his late parents, Eddie and Betty, who contributed greatly to the establishment of Grangehurst. The Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot blend and varietal Pinotage are equally celebrated, the latter having earned Walker a reputation as one of the Cape's foremost Pinotage specialists.

Grangehurst offers guided cellar tours, cheese platters, picnic baskets, and wine club membership from its boutique tasting room on the slopes of the Helderberg. The estate also has comfortable accommodation for overnight stays. It remains one of Stellenbosch's most authentic winemaking experiences — a place where the wines are made by the owner himself, in a cellar built on the foundations of a squash court and a conviction that great red wine starts with great fruit and patience.