Wildehurst Wines Koringberg

Between rolling wheat fields in the tiny Swartland hamlet of Koringberg, an old Pastorie hides one of the Western Cape's most unlikely wine stories. When Joanne Hurst bought the property in 2003, winemaking was not on the agenda. She renovated the buildings, stared at the large empty garden, and decided that vines would be more interesting than flower beds. In 2006 she planted a garden vineyard of ninety per cent Shiraz and ten per cent Viognier, and by 2009 she had co-fermented her first wine, aged it eighteen months in French oak, and released it as The Wildehurst Red.

What began as a garden experiment grew steadily. Joanne sourced additional fruit from selected Swartland vineyards, including old-vine Chenin Blanc from the Paardeberg. She joined the Swartland Independent Producers and committed to minimal-intervention winemaking. No commercial yeast, no added acid, no commercial enzyme. Wild ferments and hand-harvested grapes became the foundation of every bottle, reflecting the Swartland's growing reputation as a region where natural winemaking thrives.

By 2013 production had expanded enough to justify a full-time winemaker. Sheree Nothnagel arrived with a degree in Oenology and Viticulture from Stellenbosch University and one condition: she wanted to make Methode Cap Classique. Her MCC debuted in 2016, quickly establishing Wildehurst as an unlikely sparkling-wine pioneer in a region better known for Swartland Shiraz and old-vine Chenin Blanc. Two stoneware amphoras were introduced to the cellar, reflecting Joanne's desire to make wine as naturally as possible.

Today Wildehurst produces around 16,000 bottles annually across two ranges. The Velo range offers fruit-driven, easy-drinking whites, a rose and a red at accessible price points. The premium Wildehurst range is more complex, with standouts including the Boutique Chenin Blanc from thirty-year-old Paardeberg vineyards and The Wilde, a brooding Syrah-based blend. The MCC collection has expanded to include both blanc and rose expressions, all made in the traditional method.

The old cellar has been reborn as Marrian George, an exquisite boutique six-suite hotel and restaurant in the heart of Koringberg, giving visitors a reason to stay overnight in one of the Swartland's quietest corners. Wine tastings are available by appointment, offering an intimate, personal experience far removed from the polished tasting rooms of Stellenbosch and Franschhoek. This is Swartland at its most authentic: a garden vineyard, a village cellar, amphora-aged wines, and a portfolio that proves great things grow from the smallest of beginnings in the most unexpected places.