Fairview – a successful Combination of Innovation and Tradition

The Fairview winery at the foothills of the Paarl Mountains was one of the very first wineries to be founded at the Cape in 1693. Just six years later, the first wine was produced. After a turbulent history, Charles Back, grand-father of today’s owner with the same name, purchased the farm in 1937 and gave it a new lease of life. Since that time, the estate has been run by the third generation of the Back family - quite successfully. True to the motto ‘Go where the terroir is’, Charles Back revised the concept of Fairview in the 1980s and experimented with lesser-known grape varieties. This does not only allow a larger variety of wines and optimal conditions for the ripening time of the grapes, but also innovative wine creations which are closely linked with tradition.

The Goat as an Emblem and Mascot

The combination of innovation and tradition is also mirrored in the unusual crest of the winery. The goat has become the estate’s mascot long ago and has become part of Fairview’s identity. Her home, the fairytale-like ‘Goat Tower’ is visible from a great distance and also immortalized on the wine bottles of Fairview. The logo features a goat and it represents cheese that is also produced at the winery on the one hand, and her characteristics like boldness when going new paths and her firm stance symbolise the open-mindedness in the wine cellar. The key with the initials of the family in the middle of the crest opens doors for new developments; the basket press next to it stands for the non-industrial and natural production of the Fairview products because environment protection and sustainability are important at the estate.

Sustainability at the Vineyard

This is also true for the work at the vineyard. For example, native plants grow here to prevent erosion. The cultivation area is mostly planted with red varieties. Excellent and well balanced red wines are therefore the centrepiece of the Fairview Range even though the white wine range has continuously grown over the last years. No matter which variety or collection you prefer - the Back family and the winemakers working with Anthony de Jager always succeed in not only understanding the taste of gourmets with their fruit-dominated wines, but also meeting it.