Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
From vine to table at the Durbanville Hills winery
A PLACE where city culture and viticulture connect is how Khanya Mashalaba, brand execution manager at Durbanville Hills, describes the winery 20 minutes away from the Cape Town city centre.
Standing against the Tygerberg Hills with spectacular views of Table Mountain, Table Bay and Robben Island, Durbanville Hills is known for its award-winning wines, specifically the sauvignon blanc, and restaurant – which was recently awarded the title of South Africa’s best restaurant in Restaurant Week’s Fifth Anniversary edition.
Wine has been made in the area from the 17th century, but it was not until the late 1990s that Durbanville Hills Wines was established.
Mashalaba said the winery had been designed with one objective in mind: “To make top-quality wine from top-quality grapes. Seven grape farmers and Distell agreed to build a cellar as part of a joint venture to make their own wine and today there are nine member producers.”
Durbanville began as an outspan (resting place) that became a meeting place for early travellers, transport riders and local farmers.
At the time, the first farm- ers had been in the region around the spring and the pan for more than 20 years. The spring became a popular resting place during the early 18th century.
Travellers to and from the coast would stop to replenish water and food supplies, creating a demand for fresh meat and a market for cattle farmers.
Soon cattle farming was supplemented with wheat production.
Not long after, the first vine- yards were planted and within a decade most farmers were producing enough wine for themselves and their dependants. As early as 1702 the first surplus of wine was recorded among the producers and could very well have resulted in the first sales of wine from the region. This small village developed over time and was named Durbanville in 1886.
Durbanville Hills is proud to be a winery that makes great wines from a great place but also rooted in social respons- ibility. “We believe in giving back, and by working together with the community, aim to improve the quality of life of employees and their families. We were named winner of the Ethical Award category in the 2011 The Drinks Business Awards,” said Mashalaba.
Among the winery’s longterm goals is “to expand our growth in South Africa and international markets”. Mashalaba said in five years’ time, they see Durbanville Hills as a national brand that owns wine of origin Cape Town.
In October 2016, Durbanville Hills expanded its range to now include a sauvignon blanc sparkling wine. The wine was a great success with consumers and was named one of the top sparkling wines at the international wine challenge, Battle of the Bubbles.
It was hosted by Michelin star chef and wine explorer, Roger Jones.
With harvest season being the next big thing after the festive season among wine lovers, to celebrate the 2018 harvest Durbanville Hills will host its annual harvest cellar tour from February 21, to March 14.
Durbanville Hills wine ambassador Simone Koen said guests would have the chance to see how the Durbanville Hills range is produced – from vine to table.