Topiary Wine Estate

Topiary Wine Estate occupies sixty-four hectares at the foot of the lower Wemmershoek Mountain foothills in the Franschhoek Valley, a property that was once a fruit farm called La Tramontane. The estate was redeveloped as Topiary Wine Estate in 2005, but its defining chapter began in August 2014, when acclaimed Burgundy producer Philippe Colin became enchanted with the farm and purchased it.

Colin is a fourth-generation Burgundian wine farmer, one of the guardians of the famous Colin-Deleger vineyards in Chassagne-Montrachet. He studied viticulture at the viticultural high school of Beaune and took his place in the family business in 1988, working alongside his brother Bruno for sixteen years across eighteen hectares of prime Burgundian vineyard. In 2013, Philippe won the coveted Decanter regional trophy for the best white Burgundy.

Bringing that Burgundian pedigree to the Franschhoek Valley has shaped every aspect of Topiary. Over twenty hectares of vineyard are planted predominantly to Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chardonnay, the last of which benefits particularly from Colin's lifelong expertise with the variety. The surrounding mountain ranges create a natural wind funnel that cools the vineyards during ripening, producing wines with pronounced elegance and even fruit development -- a quality that distinguishes Topiary from many of its warmer-climate neighbours.

The wine range is focused and deliberate. Single-varietal Chardonnay, Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Chenin Blanc sit alongside a Rose and the Innocence, a Cabernet-Syrah blend that has become the estate's signature red. A Methode Cap Classique rounds out the collection. The wines consistently reflect Colin's Burgundian instinct for restraint, balance, and site expression.

Topiary also operates a French-inspired restaurant on the estate, serving cuisine that draws on the Franschhoek Valley's long connection to French culinary tradition. Guest cottages on the property provide accommodation for visitors who want to extend their stay, and the estate is a stop on the Franschhoek Wine Tram route.

The setting is intimate and unhurried. Views stretch across vineyards to the valley and surrounding mountains, with sculpted gardens and lawns -- fitting for an estate named after the art of topiary. The wine tram stop makes Topiary easy to reach without driving, and the estate's boutique scale means tastings feel personal rather than commercial.

The estate is wheelchair accessible and welcomes small groups, couples, and overnight visitors. Events and intimate functions can be hosted on the grounds. Closed on Mondays, Topiary is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10:00 to 17:00. For those seeking a wine estate shaped by genuine Old World expertise rather than corporate ambition, Topiary is one of Franschhoek's most compelling discoveries.