Bosman Family Vineyards – Wellington

The first generation of the Bosman family settled on the farm in 1798. The Lelienfontein Estate produced wine until 1957, when the family turned their focus to their vine nursery. In 2007, the Bosmans returned to winemaking and released the first wines from the renovated 260-year-old cellar. In 2008, a landmark joint venture between Bosman Family Vineyards and the Adama Workers Trust saw the formation of the biggest Black Economic Empowerment deal in the South African wine industry to date, with eligible workers receiving co-ownership of 430ha of farming land. Many of the 260 full-time workers on the estate are from 5th generation families who together own 26% of the business. In 2009, the Bosman’s’ ethical and sustainable methods of producing and trading their wine received official Fairtrade certification. In 2015 the wine farm was the runner-up for Ethical Company of the Year at The Drinks Business Green Business Awards. With one of the pre-eminent vine nurseries in the southern hemisphere and 3 different growing regions from which to cultivate their blends, the Bosman Family Vineyards have unrivalled access, knowledge, and expertise when it comes to crafting their wines. The wine-making team of Corlea Fourie and Natasha Williams revel in the quality of fruit at their command.

The Chenin Blanc is from vineyards in Wellington’s Bovlei including some older parcels. Fermentation and lees aging take place is stainless steel. The Shiraz is also from the valley and ages in various sizes of French oak. The Optenhorst Chenin is the 3rd oldest vineyard of the variety in South Africa – planted in 1952. Fruit from its 3,255 bush vines is fermented and oak aged naturally in French oak barrels. Fides Grenache Blanc is fermented naturally on the skins for 3 weeks before barrel aging for 6 months. The final of the three special site wines is Twyfeling Cinsault – from the Hermitage-Kop vineyard on the Twyfeling hill, fermented with partial stalks and aged in used barriques. Bosman have championed the introduction and approval of the Sicilian native Nero d’Avola and their 0.6 ha is the only planting in the country, aged in used French oak for 1 year. Erfenis is blend of selected barrels – a true winemaker’s reserve that changes slightly with each vintage. Here, a blend of Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Grenache Noir, Mourvèdre & Cinsault are fermented and aged individually for 18 months in French oak before a further 12 months post-blend in oak. The Pét-Nat Chenin is from a vineyard on the De Bos Dam ridge in the Upper Hemel en Aarde Valley, it is naturally fermented and bottled prior to completing its first fermentation to create a natural fizz. From the Murasie and Vine Garden vineyards overlooking Walker Bay the Upper Hemel en Aarde Sauvignon Blanc is a flinty, fynbos tinged dry style. The Chardonnay is aged in French oak to balance its bright fruit. The Pinot Noir ages for 10 months in 20% new Burgundian oak. Both the Soet Steen (Chenin Blanc) & the Dolce Primitivo are made from fruit dried in the sun for a few days to around 50% of its weight. The dryland Chenin (named Steen in honour of the traditional Afrikaans name for Chenin) is basket pressed into tanks for fermentation before aging in 500 litre French oak for 9 months. The Primitivo is foot pressed in open topped barrels to ferment. After ferment the wine ages in the barrels, tops now returned, for up to 9 months.