Labour of Love
Taking pride in having the first female and self-taught winemaker in the region, Lievland Vineyards brings wines that echo tradition and innovation
For the stern sommelier, South African wines are among new-world wines—unafraid to push winemaking traditions to modernisation, jumpstarting into creative ways to improve produce quality. But in the case of the Western Cape province, with its topquality terroir teeming with well-maintained old vines and dry-farmed bush vines, the wines hailed from the town of Stellenbosch strike a balance between old-world austerity and new-world exuberance.
Known as the “Golden Mile” of wine estates in the region, Stellenbosch is home to one of the most revered estates, Lievland Vineyards. It is under the care and guidance of José Stark-Conde and Tyrell Myburgh. Together, they have formed MAN Family Wines with the vision of catapulting Lievland back to its illustrious standing and onto broader prominence.
“The first time we visited the farm, we were struck by two horses that had adopted a baby springbok,” shares StarkCondé. “The touching scene inspired our label: Cupid–the god of love– riding a springbok, South Africa’s national animal.”
Lievland Vineyards derives its name from the African phrase for “love land”. This horseshoeshaped valley on the northwestern slope of the Simonsberg mountain boasts mainly clay-rich decomposed granite soils. Its unique shape gives various microclimates from the mountain’s different slopes. Its elevations, ranging from 590 to 1,475 feet, also add to the quality of the wines produced by the vineyard.
“We’re fortunate to be farming with top-quality Stellenbosch terroir,” says Riaan Möller, head winemaker. “We take classic varietals and traditionally make wines, aiming for the perfect balance between old-world elegance and new-world bright fruit.”
The vineyards used to be part of Natte Vallei, a much larger estate granted to a Dutch East India Company woodcutter in 1715 and passed through several owners over the years. In 1934, the estate was divided into what is now the current size of Lievland Vineyards. Eventually, Baron and Baroness Von Stiernhjehm from Latvia acquired the property.
Baroness Henrika von Stiernhjehm moved to the place with their five children after the passing of her husband. She renamed the property Lievland, a nod to her husband and children’s birthplace. The baroness later earned the reputation of helming a large winery at the Cape singlehandedly despite
being a self-taught farmer and winemaker. Since then, the vineyard has become known as one of the best producers of Syrah and the first to have a female winemaker in the area.
Being the first to release a certified barrel-fermented Chenin Blanc, the new owners of Lievland Vineyards aim to show off the versatility of its old vines, as well as a masterful blend from its other vines that give off stone fruit and mineral characters, as well as concentration and texture.
It has a vibrant, aromatic bouquet of pineapple and peaches on the nose, with notes of citrus fruits of lemon and lime. Best paired with seafood, poultry, creamy pasta dishes and mild cheeses, the Chenin Blanc 2021 takes pride in its balanced acidity and fruitiness on the palate.
The 2023 Sommeliers Choice Awards recently awarded the 2021 vintage of Chenin Blanc with a silver medal. To top it off, it received a gold medal from the South African Trophy Wine Show with 98 points.
Another must-try wine from Lievland is its Bushvine Pinotage, which shows off the variety’s modern, elegant style.
Using grapes harvested from the Western slopes of Paarl Mountain and a vineyard abundant with shale, Bushvine Pinotage evokes a fresher, brighter fruit style added with a more prosperous, more structured component.
With the grapes handled carefully and fermented at cool temperatures to preserve aromatics and pressed early to give a soft, plush mouthfeel, the 2020 vintage of the Bushvine Pinotage has been awarded a gold medal by the 2020 Sommeliers Choice Awards. It also received 90 points from the Tim Atkin MW South Africa Report.
Rich and full-bodied with hints of dark fruits such as blackberry and cherry, the Bushvine Pinotage 2020 complements dishes such as grilled meats, roasted vegetables, stews and flavourful cheeses. It has subtle notes of spice and oak to add to its richness but continues to be wellbalanced between fruitiness, acidity and tannins.
Distinguished guests of the 2023 Tatler Ball savoured these two award-winning wines from Lievland Vineyards, made possible by Bacchus International Inc.