Wine of the Month April Neethlingshof Rosé 2022 - Buy 5 get 6

Neethlingshof can look back on a tradition of over 300 years, making it one of the oldest wine estates in South Africa. The estate, once founded by Simon van der Stel, can be reached over a long pine avenue that leads to the traditional Cape Dutch buildings of the winery. The directly connected restaurant "The Salt Road at Neethlingshof" and the breathtaking views make Neethlingshof one of the most popular destinations in the Stellenbosch Winelands. Rounded off with gorgeous gardens and a unique view over Stellenbosch, the destination delights all senses. The estate is also very popular for private events such as weddings. Many couples have already given each other the famous "yes-word" here. In this dream setting and with these excellent wines, such an event definitely becomes an unforgettable experience. All this makes the Neethlingshof wine estate one of the top addresses in South Africa's winelands.

The Neethlingshof wine estate in Stellenbosch has 110 hectares of vineyards with 13 different types of soil, of which a large part is used exclusively for the preservation and replanting of flora and fauna. Under the direction of winemaker De Wet Viljoen, Neethlingshof produces unique wines from high-quality and slowly matured grapes that embody the character of the winery and the respective terroir. The first-class Neethlingshof red wines convince with a great harmony of fine oak notes and soft tannins. The Neethlingshof Pinotage sparkles ruby red in the glass and offers a full-bodied mouthfeel and extremely soft and integrated tannins. In addition to great Pinotage wines, the estate produces outstanding wines from the grape varieties Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay. The Neethlingshof Merlot is also an absolute all-rounder as a food companion with its subtle oak notes and has already received several awards. The best grapes of each vintage are used for the famous wines from the Short Story Collection - each of the unique wines tells its very own story. For example, the top Cuvée The Short Story Collection The Caracal is dedicated to the return of the lynx, which has found a new home in the estate's vineyards. The Short Story Collection Owl Post Pinotage refers to the sustainable viticulture of the winemakers, who preferred to settle owls on their estate instead of pesticides in order to control pests. These exclusive and limited creations of the Neethlingshof Short Story Collection are made from hand-picked grapes and represent the oldest and best sites of the estate. In addition to the South African premium red wines, the estate also produces unique white wines, such as the Sauvignon Blanc, the Chardonnay or the Gewürztraminer. The white wines from Neethlingshof offer a wide range of fantastic wines with an expressive character and wonderful fruit, which regularly receive considerable awards. In contrast to the red wines, these are mostly matured in stainless steel tanks. But Neethlingshof also convinces fans of rosé wines with the wonderfully uncomplicated Pinotage Rosé.

The traditional Neethlingshof winery was founded in 1692 by Governor Simon von der Stel in Stellenbosch. Charles Marais acquired the Neethlingshof vineyard in 1788, which at that time was still called "De Wolvendans", dance of the wolves. His wife Maria Marais, at that time only 18 years old, began to cultivate the vineyards and took over the Neethlingshof vineyard at the end of the 18th century. She was the first female cellar master in the still young colony of South Africa and helped the estate to grow into one of the most renowned wine estates in South Africa with a lot of energy and dedication. The present name Neethlingshof dates back to the year 1828 – the daughter of Maria Marais married Johannes Henoch Neethling. Johannes Henoch Neethling earned the name "Lord Neethling" through his involvement in the Stellenbosch community. Maria Marais was an extraordinary woman and worked with the greatest devotion on the winery until her death in 1839, which was then continued by her son. Her pioneering spirit inspired many winemakers then, as it does now, and the wine named after her, The Maria Short Story Collection, is a multi-award winning dessert wine which pays tribute to her achievement and tells her story. Neethlingshof was acquired in 1985 by Hans Schreiber, who is still co-owner today. He invested a lot of time and money in the cellar technology and the vineyards, creating the conditions for the production of first-class wines, which have already won several national and international awards. Since mid-2003, oenologist De Wet Viljoen has been responsible for winemaking at Neethlingshof. For the winemaker De Wet Viljoen, it is especially important to find the right balance between fruit, structure and wood in his creations, so that the wine lovers always have a special taste experience in the glass.