Our aim is to craft a range of premium wines that rank with the world’s best, while reflecting the soils of the small valley where Napier lies. In keeping with this philosophy all grapes are grown on the farm, hand tended, hand harvested, hand vinified.
History
Napier Winery, set in a magnificent valley close to Wellington in the Western Cape, owes its name to Sir George Napier, Governor of the Cape of Good Hope from 1837 to 1843. It was Napier that christened the quaint rural town after the famous Duke of Wellington.
Present owner, Michael Loubser, purchased the farm in 1989. Following the change in ownership the farm was upgraded, a modern winery was built, followed by a modern maturation and fermentation cellar. The new millennium added a brandy distillery, and alongside quality, handcrafted wines, now stands the Sir George potstill brandy.
Estate Overview
Napier Winery, under the careful eye of viticulturist, winemaker and estate manager, Leon Bester, strives to make premium wines (red and white) that rank with the best in the world, while reflecting the warmth of their African roots.
- Grapes are grown on the farm, picked and sorted by hand, and vinified with great care.
- Half of the 66 hectare farm is under vines. Seven dams provide plenty of irrigation water for the vineyards.
- Grape varieties include: Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Colombar, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec, Petit Verdot and Shiraz.
- Each wine produced, carries the symbol of a bead on its label. From earliest times, wine and beads have shared a long tradition in ritual, ceremony, trade and celebration.
- To reflect this tradition, Napier Winery chose the African bead as the emblem for its premium single vineyard block and each ‘Napier’ label thus displays a ‘single bead’.
- The Sir George crest is used to signify their prestige ultra premium wine, Qintas and Potstill Brandy.
Napier Wines
- In 2010, Napier Winery completed 14 modern homes for the 14 families of their farm workers.
- Each of these houses has its own garden, a modern bathroom, a fully equipped kitchen and a fireplace.
- We named our CSR wine project, a juicy, rich Cab Sauv – Merlot blend, “14 Homes”
- Aim of this project is not only to provide the farm workers a roof over their head, but a modern, comfortable, safe and functioning home for themselves and their families.
- The Lion Creek which flows past Napier Vineyards connects two of our most important production sites – Napier and Ranzadale
- Lions used to come to the creek to drink in the hot, dry conditions of the South African summer
- Today this small creek dries out during summer, leaving a river-bed of gravel, as shown on our Lion Creek labels
- This wines are a great choice for all meat and pasta dishes or enjoyed on their own
- Our classic varietal wines from well known grape varieties focus on a modern and fruity wine style
- Best quality through yield regulation and carefully sorting of the grapes
- Harvesting early in the morning and fermenting at cool temperatures ensure to maximize fruit flavours and freshness
- This wines are a great choice for summer cuisine, fish and seafood, antipasti or enjoyed on their own
- The Cape Blend 2018 has been released for the first time
- Varietal wines from the best single vineyards carefully selected by winemaker Leon Bester
- Best quality through yield regulation and carefully sorting of the grapes
- Gentle crushing and slow fermentation at low temperatures to preserve the unique aromas
- Judicious use of new and older French barriques for finesse and complexity of aromatics
- The result are wines which reflects their terroir and regularly receive awards
- Red Medallion is a premium blend of the five noble grape varieties Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot
- This particular blend is worldwide well-known for red wines from the Bordeaux
- Only the finest grapes are selected for this blend and slowly fermented on the skins at low temperatures
- After the malolactic fermentation the wine ages 12-18 month in French oak medium toasted barriques
- The result is a big, powerful wine with a deft elegance that makes it all the more appealing and enjoyable
