Gabriëlskloof is a wine estate located near Bot River in the Overberg region, east of Cape Town. It was purchased in 2001 by Bernhard Heyns, who had been looking for the ideal place to plant vines. Bernhard’s son-in-law, the talented Peter-Allan Finlayson of Crystallum, took over as winemaker from the 2015 vintage. Peter-Allan is now Cellar Master and oversees general property management, while the young and no less talented Nina Muller has been promoted to winemaker. The farm has 178 hectares, with 68 hectares planted under vine benefitting from a cool climate with maritime influences from Walker Bay. The vineyards are farmed sustainably with the support of full-time vineyard consultant Rosa Kruger (hailed as “the queen of the Cape’s old vines” by Tim Atkin MW). They aim to move to organic farming in the future.

The fruit for the Sauvignon Blanc hails from seven different low-yielding (five point five tonnes per hectare) vineyards planted on rocky sandstone and shale soils. The grapes are then fermented and aged in stainless steel to retain their primary fruit aromas. The resulting wine is elegant in style with fresh acidity and aromas ranging from pear to lemongrass. The ‘Amphora’ Sauvignon Blanc is sourced from a single vineyard in Elgin, plated 300 metres above sea level. As its name suggests, the wine is fermented and aged in clay amphorae, creating layered and complex notes of orange blossom, wild herbs and wet stone. ‘Magdalena’, a barrel-fermented Semillon, is made with minimal intervention and aged in 400 and 500-litre old French barrels. The nose is intense, boasting aromas of lime flower and almonds. A small proportion of Sauvignon Blanc in the blend lends a juicy and sour zest to the palate. Made from old vine Chenin Blanc, the ‘Elodie’ Chenin Blanc is fermented in old French oak barrels, which adds complexity to the wine. The nose offers subtle peach and apricot aromas, coupled with layers of almond and white flowers. The palate is opulent with excellent natural acidity and freshness, typical of old vine Chenin. ‘Rosebud’, as the name suggests, is like an unopened rose, pale pink, elegant and floral. It is dry in style with crisp acidity and a round finish.

Superb value for money, ‘The Blend’ comprises Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot, offering juicy black fruit, bright acidity and soft, ripe tannins. The ‘Whole Bunch’ Syrah is vibrant and pure. 100% whole bunch fermented, it has vivid aromas of violets, bramble and black pepper. The fruit for the Cabernet Franc comes from a 20-year-old single vineyard. It is fermented in 500-litre barrels and aged for 18 months, using 30% new French oak. On the nose, it offers notes of tobacco leaf, bell pepper and dark plums. The palate is refined with a beautiful concentration of fruit and a lifted finish. Vines for the ‘Syrah on Sandstone’ are planted on a mountainous site made up of broken sandstone rock. This challenging environment leads to low vigour and very small yields. The wine is savoury, with black olive, white pepper, violets and an effortless cool-climate elegance. The ‘Syrah on Shale’ is denser and more brooding, sourced from a single Bokkeveld shale site on the Gabriëlskloof property. It has notes of cassis, black pepper and Mediterranean herbs.