So which wine estate is the oldest in South Africa?

December 11, 2009

Which wine estate is the oldest in South Africa?

Well it’s not such a clear cut matter and has recently been handed to the historians to figure out according to this article.

Of late, the likes of Blaauwklippen and Boschendal have used their advertising avenues to claim that they are the oldest - naturally Groot Constantia have taken offense to this and commissioned a historian to clear the matter up.

Here are the findings of historian Dr Con de Wet:

Blaauwklippen:

Blaauwklippen was indeed handed to Gerrit Jansz Visser in 1682, and that he owned it until 1690, but there is no evidence that it produced wine at that time.

Boschendal:

As far as Boschendal is concerned, De Wet’s conclusion is that there are no supporting documents indicating that Boschendal had been handed to the first owner, Jean le Long, as early as 1685 or 1686. Le Long arrived at the Cape only in 1688.

Groot Constantia

Groot Constantia’s title deeds were, according to De Wet, given to Simon van der Stel in 1685 and there are indications that he immediately began producing wine there.

De Wet concludes his report with the deduction that Constantia was the first farm to produce wine and hence the oldest.

Nou daars a ding.

Interestingly my good friend Mooti (Marc Cloete) once owned Groot Constantia - well not him but his ancestors. They stupidly sold the farm some while back and Mooti to this day, cries every time we drive past the estate.

To be honest I would cry too. In fact if I were him I’d put in a land claim with the land bank - you never know.

[UPDATE: Pendock has an interesting angle on this claim by Groot Constantia]

Mooti I would demand that they clean up the graveyard - it’s bullsh*it that they treat your ancestors’ resting place like that.

Posted in SA Wine Industry