Welbedacht Wine Estate/Schalk Burger & Sons

At the foot of Bain's Kloof in Wellington, where the mountains rise sharply from the valley floor and the soils are among the oldest decomposed granite formations in Africa, the Burger family found the setting for their second act. Schalk Burger Senior — the formidable Springbok flanker who represented South Africa in the 1980s — purchased the Welbedacht property in 1997 with his wife Katrina, drawn to the dramatic landscape and the potential locked in its ancient soils. The farm's Dutch name means "well thought out," and the Burgers have approached every aspect of the estate with precisely that philosophy.

The property dates back to 1830, but the Burgers effectively started from scratch, undertaking extensive restoration of the farmstead and establishing over 100 hectares of vineyards planted with more than a dozen cultivars. The granite-derived soils, combined with Wellington's warm days and cool mountain nights, proved ideal for ripening a broad range of varieties — from Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, and Viognier on the cooler slopes to Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinotage, and Merlot in the warmer valley positions.

The rugby connection runs deep through the estate's identity. Schalk Burger Junior — who followed his father into the Springbok jersey and won the Rugby World Cup in 2007 — is integrally involved in the wine business. The Burgers became the eighth father-and-son pair to both represent South Africa in Test rugby, a distinction they carry with characteristic understatement. Yet their first love, the family will tell you, has always been cricket. Welbedacht is home to what many consider the most beautiful private cricket oval in South Africa, set against the mountain backdrop and ringed by vineyards.

The wines are produced under two labels. The Welbedacht Estate Range draws on home-vineyard fruit to deliver varietal character at an accessible price point. The Schalk Burger and Sons range represents the premium tier, with wines like the No. 6 Shiraz — a Syrah-based blend with splashes of Mourvedre, Cinsaut, Grenache, Pinotage, and Viognier — and the 1861 Cabernet/Merlot blend showing the depth and complexity of the estate's best parcels. All grapes are grown, vinified, and bottled on the property.

The tasting room offers a relaxed, unpretentious experience with tastings from R20 to R40. Visitors can pair wines with South African cuisine at the on-site restaurant, or simply enjoy the view from the cellar door toward the towering peaks of Bain's Kloof. For a family that has competed at the highest level of international sport, Welbedacht reflects a different kind of ambition — to make wines that honour the land, the history, and the quiet conviction that Wellington's terroir deserves to be taken seriously.