When Jennie and Maarten took over the farm it was largely in a state of neglect, with very little farming activity taking place. At that time the only crops were from small plum, pear and nectarine orchards, whilst the only grapevines consisted of a newly-planted block of Cabernet Sauvignon and some very old table-grape vines. The fruit orchards were uprooted, together with the table-grapes and shortly after, the task of establishing new vineyards began. Not knowing much about farming Maarten and Jennie’s task was daunting, but with a little help and advice they set to work, planting Shiraz, Mouvedre, Grenache and Viognier, in order to complement the existing block of Cabernet Sauvignon. These varieties were chosen as they are ideally suited to grow in the Rhone valley, France, - a climate similar to that of Franschhoek. The new vines have grown fantastically and 2006 saw the first harvest from the newly-planted blocks.
A small winery was constructed on the farm in the late 19th/early 20th century. However, due to a change in farming operations, the building was later converted into a fruit-packing store. Maarten has undertaken the restoration of the cellar, which has so far taken many painstaking hours. This is due in part to the fact that the building was constructed with 9-inch walls! The first harvest from the existing Cabernet Sauvignon vines happened in 2004, from which, 3,000 bottles were produced.
