This medium-sized winery on the western coast of the Cape Province of South Africa sources its grapes from the fertile Riebeek Valley and the slopes of the mountain where the climate is very similar to the Mediterranean. Through the years as vineyard practices developed, cultivars were planted in soil and at slopes best suited to them. These well-tended vineyards enable the production of high quality wines which makes Riebeek Cellars the choice of wine buyers internationally. Well-known both in South Africa and abroad, Riebeek Cellars manages a variety of brands for various countries. And while it was formally established in 1941, the Cellar is guided by traditions stretching back more than 350 years. One is the Dutch trading tradition. For it was Dutch explorer Pieter Cruythoff who stumbled upon the Riebeek Valley in 1661, and founded the town of Riebeek-Kasteel in honour of the administrator of the Cape, Jan van Riebeeck. The other is the French wine making tradition. In 1688, fleeing persecution in France, the French Huguenots arrived at the Cape and deemed the terroir more than suitable for the continuation of their esteemed legacy. Both have led to the tradition of uncomplicated simplicity that you'll find here today. You'll recognise it in the unpretentious people who call the Valley home. You'll experience it in the warm yet humble country hospitality for which they're known. But, above all, you'll taste it in a range of wines that balance mild, wet winters with the fruity concentration of hot, dry summers, all born of superb soils and honed in a cellar where time-honoured processes live side-by-side with the best modern wine making techniques. A tradition of uncomplicated simplicity also informs how we conduct ourselves. For we believe a great wine can only come from the finest grapes. The finest grapes can only come from good soil. And good soil comes only through collaboration with Mother Nature. Which is why we're passionate about the ideals of the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW), a South African initiative that aims to decrease chemical intervention and improve waste management throughout the industry. It's also why we're a member of the WWF's Biodiversity in Wine Initiative (BWI), which underlines our commitment to protecting our remaining endemic renosterbos and adopting better farming practices to ensure healthier natural systems.At the end of the day, it's all about respecting what we have, and being passionate and caring in what we do with it.
