Spioenkop Wines

In the cool, green heart of the Elgin Valley, where apple orchards give way to vineyards and the air carries the chill of the nearby Atlantic, a Belgian former sommelier and engineer named Koen Roose planted his flag in 2008. The farm he acquired already bore the name Spioenkop, after the hill in KwaZulu-Natal where one of the Anglo-Boer War's bloodiest battles was fought on 24 January 1900. Roose kept the name and wove its history into the fabric of his wines.

Roose's path to Elgin was unconventional. Trained as an engineer in Belgium and later as a sommelier, he worked under Francois Naude at L'Avenir in Stellenbosch before striking out on his own. What drew him to Elgin was the region's cool maritime climate, its shale and clay soils, and its potential for varieties that thrive in cooler conditions — particularly Riesling and Pinotage, an unlikely but inspired pairing that has become Spioenkop's signature.

The farming philosophy is rooted in biodynamic principles, though Roose has not pursued formal certification. The vineyard is dry-farmed with no artificial fertilisers, pesticides, or herbicides. Instead, Roose relies on compost teas, herbal preparations, and lunar cycles to nurture vine health. The goal is a vineyard in what he calls rude health — resilient, self-sustaining, and deeply connected to its terroir.

In the cellar, the approach is equally restrained. Low intervention is the guiding principle: Roose wants to give his wines a voice without the interference of technology or an overbearing winemaker. The result is wines of remarkable purity and site expression, with Spioenkop's Riesling widely regarded as one of the finest in South Africa.

The wine range is divided into two tiers. The Spioenkop label showcases varieties atypical for Elgin — Riesling, Pinotage, and Chenin Blanc — while the 1900 range features classic Elgin varietals including Sauvignon Blanc and Pinot Noir, named in tribute to the Battle of Spioenkop. Individual wines carry names honouring figures from the battle and South African history: the 1900 Pinotage, the Johanna Brandt Chenin Blanc, and the Sarah Raal Chenin Blanc among them.

The tasting room is open Tuesday to Saturday, offering visitors a chance to experience one of the most distinctive and terroir-driven portfolios in the Cape. Spioenkop is a quiet rebel in South African wine — working against convention with Riesling and biodynamics in a valley known for Sauvignon Blanc and commercial scale. It is proof that the most compelling wines often come from winemakers who refuse to follow the expected path.