Louisvale Wines

Louisvale sits in the Devon Valley of Stellenbosch, on a property that was subdivided in the 1950s from a larger farm into two thirty-hectare sections. In 1988, Hans Froehling and Leon Stemmet purchased the estate and began planting vines a year later. Their first focus was Chardonnay, and Louisvale quickly became one of the pioneers of the varietal in South Africa -- a distinction the estate still carries with pride.

The original homestead, a century-old manor house rumoured to have been designed in the style of Sir Herbert Baker, still stands on the property. Its Cape Dutch lines and graceful proportions give the estate a sense of permanence that belies the relatively recent history of its wine production. When Marinus Bredell took over the winemaking in 1993, he expanded the repertoire beyond Chardonnay to include red wines for the first time, broadening the estate's appeal.

In 1997, Simon Smith arrived at Louisvale and has been the winemaker ever since. His dedication and meticulous viticultural practices have driven the estate's reputation upward year after year. The current owner acquired Louisvale in 2010, expanding the operation to include the neighbouring Nooitgedacht property. The two estates are now managed as a single unit, giving Smith a broader canvas of east-facing plantings on decomposed granite soils, farmed dryland until post-harvest irrigation.

The wine portfolio is arranged across several tiers. The Stone Road Collection offers accessible wines for everyday enjoyment. The Louisvale Range represents the estate's signature wines -- Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and the Chavant and Dominique blends. The Limited Edition tier features single-varietal wines of extended maturation. At the top sit the flagship wines: the Five Barrels Cabernet Sauvignon, which achieved 95 points in Tim Atkin's 2023 SA Review and 97 points at the 2023 Investec Trophy Wine Show, and The Boris Bordeaux Blend, which earned 93 points from Tim Atkin and Gold at the 2023 Veritas Awards. A Cap Classique range in both Chardonnay Brut and Rose Brut completes the portfolio.

The estate operates a restaurant serving contemporary cuisine with breakfast, lunch, food and wine pairings, and platters. The setting offers panoramic views across the Devon Valley to the mountains, with both indoor seating and outside terraces at the restaurant and tasting room. Cellar tours are available by arrangement, including private tutored tastings.

Guesthouse accommodation on the property allows visitors to stay overnight in the Devon Valley setting. The estate also functions as a wedding and corporate events venue, with dedicated function spaces. Louisvale is open Monday to Thursday and Saturday from 09h00 to 16h00, and Sunday from 12h00 to 15h00, closed on Fridays.