Springfield – family winery with a long tradition
In the heart of the Robertson Valley, Huguenots who had fled France once arrived in South Africa with a bundle of vines from the Loire under their arm – centuries later, their descendants are still growing vines there: The Springfield estate has been owned by the Bruwer family since the end of the 19th century. True to the motto "Made on Honour", the fourth-generation siblings Abrie and Jeanette use traditional methods to create wines that reflect their terroir.
Springfield – complex wines with different styles
Making wine as naturally as possible – that is the philosophy at Springfield. "Good wine is grown, not made" is the opinion of the team, which prefers to intervene in the vineyard rather than in the cellar. Therefore, each grape variety is planted in the best location for it to provide the best possible conditions. The vineyard has many different soil types, some areas are very impermeable and rocky and consist mostly of quartz rock. There are also limy soils and sandy loam soils – these differences allow for the production of complex wines with different styles.
Springfield – wine enjoyment with a magnificent view
"Back to the roots" is also the motto in the wine cellar. Most wines are fermented with natural, wild yeast found on the grape skins, for example – a long and unpredictable process that cannot be controlled. In the red wine cellar there is no press, the grapes are fermented whole. The result of the minimalist interventions in the production process are fruity white wines from grape varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon or Chardonnay as well as rich and multi-layered red wines, here the focus is on Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The flagship wine is the Méthode Ancienne Cabernet Sauvignon, which is incredibly complex. Something very special is the red wine blend called Thunderchild. The grapes for this wine come from a vineyard located on the grounds of an orphanage. The proceeds of the Thunderchild go to the children of this orphanage. Visitors to Springfield can taste the wonderful wines in the Tasting Room – with a beautiful view of the lake.