Wildekrans Wine Estate

Wildekrans Wine Estate sprawls across a thousand hectares of the Bot River Valley, a landscape so layered with history that its story begins not with wine but with the Dutch East India Company. The original title deed for Keerweer -- meaning 'come again' -- dates to 1864, but the land's agricultural use reaches back to the early 1700s when Adrian van der Stel's farms served as resting points for travellers outspanning their oxen along the Botrivier. In the 1860s, the original farm buildings and cellar were constructed. In the 1920s, a farmer named Kannemeyer built the concrete fermentation vats that still stand in the old cellar. Vineyards from the 1982 planting remain in production today.

Amanda and Gary Harlow purchased the estate in 2007 and undertook a painstaking restoration of the historic buildings while implementing sustainable farming practices across the property. The estate today is managed by the Endless Group, with winemaker De Wet Viljoen bringing over twenty years of experience from Neetlingshof to the cellar. Viticulturist Braam Gericke, who started at Wildekrans in 2008 and stepped up to winemaking when his predecessor left in 2017, provides the deep vineyard knowledge that underpins everything.

The winemaking philosophy begins in the vineyard: matching varietals to suitable soil types, nurturing low-yielding crops of pronounced structure and fruit intensity. Two ranges express this approach. The Barrel Select Reserve range showcases the estate's finest parcels -- the Pinotage, Chenin Blanc, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, and Cape Blend are all given extended oak maturation and limited production. The Estate Range offers accessible, well-made wines for everyday enjoyment.

Wildekrans has accumulated numerous accolades for its Pinotage, a variety particularly suited to the Bot River terroir. Six of the estate's wines recently received 'Six of the Best' recognition on the Bot River Wine Route. The estate also produces MCC sparkling wines in both Brut Chenin Blanc and Brut Rose expressions, along with three olive oil varieties pressed from the property's own groves -- a reflection of the diverse agriculture that has defined this land for centuries.

Beyond the cellar, Wildekrans is a full destination: luxury farm cottages with fireplaces, a restaurant serving breakfast through dinner, horse riding, mountain biking, cycling and walking trails, a dam, a chapel for weddings, and function facilities. Dogs are welcome. Children are catered for. The estate holds a wine club membership programme and operates an online shop. For those seeking an off-the-beaten-track Overberg experience with heritage, hospitality, and genuine wine quality, Wildekrans delivers on every count.