Cape Point Vineyards
Cape Point, South Africa

Cape Point Vineyards was established in 1996 by owner Sybrand van der Spuy (an investment banker), who moved to the Cape from the Transvaal to mine kaolin in Noordhoek and found himself bitten by the wine bug. He acquired a property close to the mine and began restoring the old Cape Dutch homestead for himself and began planting yellow-wood trees where previously Port Jackson flourished. He then decided to pursue his dream of planting vines on the property which overlooks the vast stretch of Noordhoek beach. Although there was evidence that the area had been planted under vines in the early 18th century, the land had to be cleared of intruder vegetation and mammoth rocks, which was a huge undertaking. By 1997, after extensive soil and climatic analyses, the first Sauvignon Blanc vines had been planted against the south-facing slopes of the Constantiaberg Mountain.

Unique in terms of their geographical position and the proximity to the two oceans, Cape Point Vineyards are determined to create wines that exemplify the distinctive Cape Point terroir. At present there are 30 hectares under vine consisting of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Chardonnay on the Noordhoek site and Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon on the warmer Scarborough site. Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon are their main focus, with Sauvignon Blanc being the most planted varietal.

The breezes from the nearby oceans enable the grapes to enjoy ideal slow ripening conditions with the potential to produce premium quality wines. This vision was proved correct when the maiden vintage of the Cape Point Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc received the Jan Smuts Trophy at the 2000 SA Young Wine Show as the overall champion, as well as being awarded Gold at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London.

The two lions featured on the Cape Point Vineyards label are a magnificent pair of 18th century white carrara marble lions which were carved from one solid block. One is asleep and the other alert. They were originally positioned at the tomb of Pope Clement XIII in St Peters, Rome but were purchased by the Maharja Dhirajas of Burdwan for his palace outside Calcutta in the 19th century. After being imported into Australia in 1999, they have now found permanent residence at the entrance to the Noordhoek site of Cape Point Vineyards as proud symbols of the estates dedication to quality.

The Cape Point Vineyards are planted on two estates: Noordhoek, and Scarborough, situated on the Cape Point peninsula. The establishment of these vineyards and the Cape Point Vineyards cellar (the only one in the district) prompted the declaration of the Cape Point Wine of Origin district in 1998.

Cool sea breezes from the two oceans of differing temperatures directly affects this narrow strip of land, which is 11kms at its widest point. Each of the three terroirs have an excellent variety of soil & micro-climatic conditions and were selected for their specific suitability to the cultivation of a particular cultivar.

 

Cape Point Splattered Toad Sauvignon Blanc 2010 A vibrant and fruit forward Sauvignon Blanc: tropical fruit such as, Melons, spaanspek, pineapple, grapefruit, limes and (of course ) freshly cut grass dominate the nose. R37.90 p/b R227.43 per 6 bottles VAT Incl. 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 90 96 102 108 114 120

Cape Point Splatter Toad Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 The blend shows an abundance of red fruit and spice, along with subtle oak undertones. R49.87 p/b R299.21 per 6 bottles VAT Incl. 6 12 18 24 30 36 42 48 54 60 66 72 78 84 90 96 102 108 114 120