La Bri Wine Estate in Franschhoek
La Bri Wine Estate is located on Excelsior Road in the upper Franschhoek Valley, nestled in the mountains around Franschhoek. The small estate farms around 15 hectares of its own vineyards and produces its estate wines directly on the property. Varied soils, from sandy loam to deep alluvial soils, allow several white and red grape varieties to be grown on a comparatively small area.
The history of La Bri is closely linked to the French Huguenots who arrived at the Cape at the end of the 17th century. The original land was among the early farms granted to Huguenots in the Franschhoek Valley. Jacques de Villiers settled at La Bri in 1694 and later received the formal title to the property. The historic manor house probably dates from the 18th century and was extended to its present H-shaped layout in 1862.
After several changes of ownership, the estate's modern development began towards the end of the 20th century. Robin Hamilton acquired La Bri in 1997, replanted vineyards and built a new cellar in 2007 designed for small production volumes. Since June 2022, the estate has belonged to the von Kuenheim family. Irene de Fleuriot is now responsible for winemaking as General Manager and Winemaker.
The range is shaped by Chardonnay, Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Viognier is also produced, along with Affinity, a Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend of classic Bordeaux varieties. Small Limited Releases are made in special vintages. The Cabernet Sauvignon from Block 1, for example, comes from a parcel planted in 1999 and matures for 24 months in French oak.
Chardonnay also has a permanent place in the portfolio. Alongside the classic Estate Chardonnay, La Bri produces a Barrel Select Chardonnay from selected barrels. The grapes are hand-picked and whole-bunch pressed before fermentation and maturation take place in French oak barrels. The style combines ripe stone and citrus fruit with a creamy texture and fresh acidity.
The botanical drawings on the labels are particularly distinctive. Almost every Estate wine is associated with an indigenous Cape plant. Chardonnay, for example, features the yellow clivia, Cabernet Sauvignon the white watsonia and Affinity the intensely coloured Geissorhiza radians. On the Syrah labels, herbs take on this role. The design deliberately creates a connection between the wines and the fynbos vegetation of the Western Cape.
Alongside the Estate wines, La Bri offers the Double Door Range. This line may use both estate-grown grapes and fruit from neighbouring farms, giving the cellar team greater freedom in grape varieties and blends. At Vin Africa, La Bri represents a small Franschhoek estate combining historic origins, distinctive label design and a versatile portfolio ranging from Chardonnay to Cabernet Sauvignon.