Tempel Wines

Tempel Wines takes its name from the old farmhouse on the property, which once served as a Jewish place of worship. The cottage, built circa 1784, was used by Jewish traders who operated between the farms and villages of the region, and it remains one of the oldest structures in the area. The Afrikaans word 'tempel' means temple, and the name honours that layered history.

The farm sits near the banks of the Berg River, midway between Paarl and Wellington, in the heart of South Africa's most established wine-farming country. Belgian Tom Heeremans, whose father was an oenologist and who himself has long owned a gin plant in Belgium, bought the property from a Swedish owner and set about making wine with the same attention to craft he had brought to spirits. Wine and liquor, he has said, run in his blood.

Tom works alongside winemaker Neil Marais in an airy cellar with large windows overlooking the vines. Together they have shifted Tempel's focus from Pinotage to Mediterranean cultivars -- Cinsaut, Shiraz, Grenache, Mourvedre, and Tempranillo -- varietals that thrive in the warm Paarl climate and the farm's old bush vine material. The wines carry evocative Afrikaans names: Oogwink (meaning 'in the blink of an eye') for the Shiraz, matured for twelve months in French oak with twenty percent new wood and a cement egg; Tydsaam ('slowly, spending time together') for the Tempranillo, with layers of cherry, plum, and Mediterranean herb; and Skoonskip for the Pinotage, soft on the palate and pleasantly fruity, matured in French oak for twelve months.

The estate is family-owned and managed, with a cosy, intimate character that visitors consistently praise. Four luxurious rooms in the B&B offer views of either the vineyards or Paarl Mountain from private terraces, and all guests have access to a heated fifteen-metre infinity pool. Breakfast is served on-site, and the setting among old bush vines, cellar views, and farmland scenery creates a distinctly romantic atmosphere suited to couples and weekend getaways.

Tastings and vineyard tours are available Monday to Friday 11:00 to 17:00 and Saturday 11:00 to 16:00, by appointment. The wines are handcrafted in small batches with a natural winemaking philosophy that aligns with the farm's specialist reputation for old bush vine wines and premium reds.

Tempel Wines is a place where Belgian craftsmanship meets Paarl terroir, an estate built on history, Mediterranean varietals, and the unhurried pleasure of time spent well.