Cederberg Cellar is situated in a unique climatic zone that can be described as a cool Mediterranean climate rather than a maritime or coastal one. Furthermore, the farm Dwarsrivier is located at the foot of Sneeuberg Mountain, one of the highest peaks in the Western Cape at 2 026 m above sea level. Cederberg Cellar, thus, lays claim to having the highest vineyards in the Western Cape at between 950 and 1 100 m above sea level - the same height as Table Mountain!
David Nieuwoudt, 5th generation custodian of Cederberg Cellar.
"Biodiversity is a way of living. We are just custodians of the land and need to preserve nature and keep it for future generations," says 5th generation owner David Nieuwoudt.
"We are moving towards biodynamic farming, cutting out all chemicals and weed control, and farming closer to the land. We are establishing green corridors from the west coast to the south coast. This is an untouched area and it is our responsibility to keep it like this for future generations."
Jerome van Rooi, assistant winemaker.
Jerome van Rooi, assistant winemaker of Cederberg Cellar, grew up with conservation in his blood. He spent countless hours with his dad, a nature conservationist working for Cape Nature Reserve at Algeria (He found a new species of disa in the Cederberg in 2016, and has a deep love for the land and the mountains surrounding Cederberg Cellar.
"Cederberg is a place you can't destroy - it has been here for millions of years. You fall in love with nature and want to protect it like is your child' -
Cederberg Cellar winemaker Thinus Botha.
Winemaker Thinus Botha is passionate about farming sustainably:
"Biodiversity is not just what you see around you, but also intrinsic to your business and viticultural practices. We have done a lot of research into drought resistant farming for the future."
"We can see, we can taste, we can hear and we can feel the biodiversity all around us. We have healthy soils in the vineyards which are thriving with life. We are proud of our Dragon-Fly alley in the vineyard, where we see all the natural predators moving back. We want to make sure that the wine you have in your glass is healthy, that the people who work here are happy and that we can continue to do so for many years to come."
Pieter du Toit, customer and social development manager.
''Being a WWF Conservation Champion reminds us not to take things for granted and also to ensure that others who visit us understand what it is to look after our environment.'
The farm is almost entirely surrounded by the Cederberg Conservancy which covers 183 000ha of totally unspoiled land. The Cape Floral Kingdom is divided in five different biomes, and two of these are found in the Cederberg Conservancy: the Fynbos Biome and the Succulent Karoo Biome.
Cederberg Cellar itself is the biggest contributor to biodiversity in the area with 5000ha being conserved and only 80ha under vine. There is virtually no other agricultural activity nearby, meaning the land and soils are virtually pristine. The vineyards are virus free and disease free, and the team at Cederberg work hard to ensure that the rich flora and fauna in the area are valued, maintained and prioritised. They do not use any intensive agricultural practices and are moving to operating as a biodynamic farm.
You can be sure that choosing wines from Cederberg Cellar that you are choosing wine for your palate and the planet.