Giving even greater weight to the event is this year’s vintage, which was preceded by some of the rarest climatic events and quite possible wines to match.
This fact prompts Jacques Cilliers, Zandvliet’s esteemed winemaker since 2011 and only the fourth winemaker in the farm’s history, to ask: “Could 2025 be a vintage for the record books?”
Renowned for its exceptional Shiraz, Zandvliet has become synonymous with excellence in South African winemaking. “It is an incredible privilege to be harvesting Zandvliet’s 50th vintage,” says Jacques. “The legacy of this farm is deeply rooted in the land, and I am honoured to continue crafting wines that reflect its unique terroir and history.”
The legacy of a popular champion
Indeed, for many South Africans, the name Zandvliet has transcended an exclusive reputation as producer of great Shiraz wines to being a cornerstone of excellent hospitality. Whenever a bottle of Shiraz from Zandvliet is served, it is gladly received.
A key factor behind the estate’s consistent success with Shiraz lies in the exceptional quality of its soils. The vineyards thrive in ancient limestone-rich deposits, providing the perfect foundation for wines that exhibit both structure and finesse. Together with ideal aspects and climate, the soils are the very reason Zandvliet enjoys classical association with the Rhône Valley variety in South Africa and abroad.
Over the years, the winemakers have sought to preserve these hallmarks, a pursuit that has been rewarded time and again at local and authoritative international shows. Among its most recent stand-out accolades, two consecutive vintages of Zandvliet’s Kalkveld range won Platinum medals at the National Wine Challenge and inclusion in the list of the year’s Top 100 South African Wines.
Just days later, the Robertson Wine Valley producer was awarded 94 points for its Hill of Enon Small Berry Pick 2021 in the Prescient Shiraz Report by Winemag.co.za. The score placed the flagship wine in the competition’s Top 10 winners overall.
A trail of courageous pioneers
Zandvliet’s storied past began with its official proclamation in 1838. While its winemaking history dates back the 1870s, it was only in 1975 that the estate began bottling wines under the Zandvliet label. At that time, the Shiraz vineyard - originally planted before the First World War - had been used for port-style fortified wines under an unconnected brand. Recognizing the exceptional quality of the grapes, the De Wet Family decided the fruit deserved to be bottled as a single-variety dry red wine—the first of its kind in the Ashton region.
This pioneering achievement dovetailed with another of Zandvliet’s great occupations: that associated with the so-called Sport of Kings: horse racing. As a top tier stud, Zandvliet gave rise to many champions with Pocket Power among its most famous equine stars recognised as an all-time South African great. The Zandvliet stud closed in 2015, but its legacy in South African racing history remains significant.
Its wines have however, gone from strength to strength. What set Zandvliet’s shiraz apart from the very beginning, particularly in an era when over-extracted wines were the norm, was its ethereal character- elegant, fresh, and accessible. These hallmark qualities remain defining traits of Zandvliet wines.
Today, Zandvliet’s wine portfolio showcases a diverse and prestigious range, including the Zandvliet Estate Shiraz; Kalkveld Shiraz; Hill of Enon Small Berry Pick Shiraz, whose soils form part of a complex conglomerate of limestone, pebbles and clay called the Enon Formation; Syrah Rosé, Cape Vintage Reserve, and Pocket Power - a Shiraz-dominated red blend. The farm also produces the Zandvliet Muscat and Chardonnay, further cementing its reputation for excellence.
A season for breaking records
As for the 2025 harvest, Jacques says the season’s growing conditions have conspired once again to make this historic year another of Zandvliet’s much anticipated vintages. The hallmarks of the growing season, however, make a long-term forecast on just how good, difficult.
There were very good Easter rains, traditionally regarded as the first sign of a good Cape winter. Rain only returned months later and with a vengeance. The usually docile Breede River burst its banks, reaching its 100-year flood level in July.
Then in August, the valley experienced one of the coldest weeks in history with some areas recording -4°C. Jacques, on a trip, spied the region from the air. Mountains were covered in snow as far as the eye could see, he recalls.
At Zandvliet, budding commenced almost 40 days later than usual - one of the latest starts since Jacques’s time at the farm. “What does it all mean?” he asks. “We must remain patient!”
The Zandvliet portfolio is available for purchase from the online shop at www.zandvliet.co.za.
Zandvliet Wine Estate is located near the village of Ashton, off the R60.
For more information, visit www.zandvliet.co.za. Find and share your memories of the estate on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and on Pinterest.