Spier Wine Farm in Stellenbosch
Spier is one of Stellenbosch's most historic wineries. The wine farm is located on Baden Powell Drive south-west of the town and has a winemaking history dating back to 1692. The estate is home to 21 historic Cape Dutch gables as well as South Africa's oldest dated wine cellar, which is still in use today. At the same time, Spier combines this heritage with modern wine production, agriculture, gastronomy and South African art.
In 1692, Governor Simon van der Stel granted the land to Arnoud Jansz. By 1754, more than 30,000 vines were already growing on the farm. Spier made another important contribution to Stellenbosch history in 1971, when Neil Joubert, together with Frans Malan of Simonsig and Spatz Sperling of Delheim, founded the Stellenbosch Wine Route. Spier has been run by the Enthoven family since 1993.
Chenin Blanc holds a special place in today's range. Spier itself describes the variety as its key signature, and Cellar Master Johan Jordaan was named Chenin Blanc Master Winemaker in 2025. Alongside Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinotage, Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon are defining varieties. The broad spectrum allows Spier to produce both fresh, approachable wines and complex blends and longer-aged flagship wines.
One of the best-known collections is 21 Gables. The name recalls the exceptional number of historic Cape Dutch gables on the farm. The range focuses on single-varietal wines and includes Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, among others. Creative Block, by contrast, follows the principle of blending and combines several grape varieties into more complex white and red wines. At the top of the range are the Frans K. Smit blends, produced in small quantities and named after the estate's long-serving Cellar Master.
With Seaward, Spier also shows that not all wines come exclusively from vineyards around the historic farm. For this collection, grapes are sourced from selected coastal sites influenced by the cold Atlantic and False Bay. Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Sauvignon Blanc are part of the current Seaward range. This enables Spier to use different Western Cape origins selectively for specific grape varieties.
Management of the estate's own farm has over many years shifted more strongly towards soil fertility, biodiversity and regenerative agriculture. After a three-year conversion period, the farm received organic certification in 2014 and harvested certified organic grapes for the first time in 2015. Large areas around vineyards and buildings have also been restored with renosterveld and fynbos. Today the property includes around 650 hectares of restored native vegetation.
Spier therefore offers an unusually broad combination of historic Stellenbosch tradition and modern South African wine culture. From uncomplicated varietal wines through Creative Block and Seaward to 21 Gables and Frans K. Smit, the range spans many styles and price levels. At Vin Africa you will find in Spier one of the most versatile names in South African wine, whose wines have become known far beyond Stellenbosch.