Tierhoek Wines

Tierhoek is one of the oldest farms on the Western Coast of Africa, originally established in 1886 by the Marais family, who worked the land for over a century. In 2001, Tony and Shelley Sandell purchased the property and began the slow, careful work of restoring the derelict buildings to their original Sandveld style. The first vintage was made on the farm itself in 2007, and since then Tierhoek has become one of the most quietly celebrated wine estates in South Africa -- a place known to collectors and sommeliers rather than crowds.

The farm sits at 760 metres in the peaks of the Piekenierskloof Mountain, just on the border of the Cederberg. The name Piekenierskloof itself dates to the Dutch East India Company era, when soldiers known as Piekeniers were stationed on the mountain ridge to protect travellers crossing between the Cape and the Olifants River region. Those soldiers found the valley so appealing they settled permanently, and the region has been farmed ever since.

Tierhoek's vineyards span the northern reaches of the Western Cape in a landscape of dramatic mountain terrain and extreme conditions. The altitude, dry summers, and ancient soils produce wines of remarkable purity and restraint. Chenin Blanc is the flagship -- made from low-yielding, thirty-year-old trellised vines and barrel-fermented in French oak. The Sauvignon Blanc, Grenache Noir, and a Straw Wine round out the core range. The Straw Wine, a rare and labour-intensive dessert wine, carries notes of marmalade and quince with a viscous, beautifully balanced palate.

What makes Tierhoek truly extraordinary is the calibre of winemakers who have collaborated with the estate. Chris Alheit crafted dedicated Tierhoek Chenin Blanc vintages. Chris Williams has contributed his expertise. Most recently, Lukas van Loggerenberg produced the Panthera Pardus Pardus -- a Rhone-style blend of old-vine Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvedre that is elegant, fresh, and restrained. These collaborations speak to the quality of the fruit and the respect Tierhoek commands among South Africa's finest winemakers.

Since 2007, Tierhoek has been a member of the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative. The Sandells have also developed the Piekenierskloof Mountain Cottage, a self-catering retreat sleeping eight guests with two bedrooms, a private pool in the river, vineyard walks, wine tasting, and fishing in the dam. It is the kind of place where the silence of the mountains and the depth of the wines share the same register -- remote, unhurried, and unmistakably real.