Jason’s Hill Private Cellar

At the foot of the Slanghoek Mountains in the Breedekloof, Jason's Hill Private Cellar takes its name not from a person but from a place: a hillside where an old shepherd named Jason once herded his sheep across the farm. It is a fitting origin for a winery that has always been grounded in the land and the generations who have worked it.

Ivy du Toit's family have been farming grapes in this valley for six generations. But it was not until 2002 that the family established their own private cellar, moving from bulk grape supply into bottling wines under their own label. The timing proved inspired. In 2003, just one year after the cellar's founding, Ivy was named Diners Club Young Winemaker of the Year — and in 2004, she received the first-ever Woman Winemaker of the Year Award. These were not minor accolades; they announced Jason's Hill and its young winemaker as serious forces in South African wine.

The Breedekloof is not Stellenbosch or Franschhoek. It does not trade on prestige postcodes or celebrity chefs. What it offers instead is deep alluvial soils fed by mountain runoff, warm days cooled by afternoon breezes funnelling through the Slanghoek Valley, and a tradition of grape farming that stretches back generations. Jason's Hill makes the most of this terroir, producing a wide range of wines — from crisp whites and elegant roses to structured reds — that consistently punch above the region's modest reputation.

The estate is as much a destination as a winery. Visitors are welcomed with tastings priced at R65 for four wines or R100 for six, alongside a wine and cookie pairing. The property is set against dramatic mountain scenery, with hiking trails that lead to waterfalls in the surrounding Slanghoek range. A playground and family-friendly atmosphere make it a destination for all ages, while cheese platters and picnic options provide reason to linger.

Jason's Hill represents what the Breedekloof does best: honest, terroir-driven wines from a family with deep roots in the valley, offered in a setting of natural beauty that rivals anything the more famous wine regions can offer — at a fraction of the price.