Landskroon Wines

Landskroon lies on the south-western slopes of the iconic Paarl Mountain, a wine estate whose roots reach back to the French Huguenot settlement of the Cape in the late seventeenth century. Among those early immigrants was Jacques de Villiers, a winemaker from Niort in France, who brought viticultural knowledge that would shape his family's destiny for centuries. In 1874, his great-grandson Paul de Villiers purchased a portion of the original Landskroon farm, and the modern estate was born.

Five generations of De Villiers winemakers have since built Landskroon into one of Paarl's most respected and enduring wine brands. The wealth of knowledge passed down through each generation — from vineyard selection to cellar technique — has created a depth of understanding that few estates can match. Today, brothers Paul and Hugo de Villiers run the operation, with cousins Madelief and Huguette also integral to the family business. Paul is the fifth-generation winemaker, and his approach balances respect for tradition with a willingness to push quality forward.

The wine portfolio is extensive, consistently well-made, and spans three distinct ranges. The flagship Paul de Villiers range includes a Reserve blend and a single-varietal Cabernet Sauvignon, both representing the best fruit from the estate's Paarl Mountain vineyards. The Landskroon range covers the classic varietals — Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinotage, Cinsaut, Merlot, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chenin Blanc — along with a popular and well-loved Blanc de Noir Rose. The Bushcamp range offers accessible, everyday wines.

Landskroon's Port-style wines deserve special mention. The estate has long been one of South Africa's leading producers of Cape Vintage Port, and in 2000 Paul de Villiers received the prestigious Diners Club Award as best winemaker in South Africa, recognised specifically for what judges called one of the finest Ports in the country.

The tasting room offers views across the vineyards to Paarl Mountain and is open for tastings across the full range, with fees starting at R150 per person. The estate also offers self-catering cottage accommodation for visitors wanting to stay on the farm and wake among the vines. There is no restaurant, but the combination of an extensive wine portfolio, genuine Huguenot heritage stretching back over three centuries, and the dramatic Paarl Mountain setting makes Landskroon a destination that rewards a dedicated visit. Few estates in the Cape can claim a winemaking lineage as long or as unbroken as the De Villiers family at Landskroon.