It has been immensely gratifying to witness tourism bouncing back and local wine lovers venturing out again. It's also Harvest Time! - the busiest and most enthralling season of the wine calendar, with the vineyards and cellar abuzz with excitement and anticipation.
We are optimistic about the excellent quality of the grapes coming into the cellar and look forward to sharing the fruits of our harvest with you in a few months' time.
Our online shop and tasting room prices will be increasing with effect from 1 March 2023. Unfortunately the price adjustments are unavoidable but please be assured that our Groote Post wines still remain excellent value for money.
Click HERE to shop online now and beat the annual price increase. Place your order by 28 February and SAVE, stocking up on all your favourite Groote Post wines still at 2022 prices. Please note that we can arrange mixed cases for you, to give you the opportunity to enjoy all your best Groote Post wines.
We are midway through our 2023 harvest and have asked our winemaker, Lukas Wentzel, to provide a short overview of the harvest so far, how it's going and what can be expected for this vintage.
"Harvest time is the highlight of our estate calendar. There is no doubt about it," says Lukas. "There is a delightful hum of excitement, in the vineyards and the cellar. All the care lavished on our vineyards throughout the year is finally coming to fruition and the wines are beginning their journey from grape to bottle.
It is a time of great joy, celebrating nature's bounty. It is also a time of hard work, long hours, unexpected challenges (from the weather and from Eskom) and critical decisions - like the best time to pick the grapes to ensure optimal ripeness."
"It is wonderful to see tons of healthy grapes arriving at the cellar. Our early ripening grapes are already fermenting in the tanks where they will slowly transform into our new 2023 vintages. We are halfway there.
Our viticulturist Jannie de Clerk and I both agree that this year's harvest to date looks extremely promising and we are incredibly optimistic about the quality of this year's crop.
The longer, slower ripening period of the grapes allows for even ripening and better aroma, fruit and flavour development. We expect greater complexity and elegance, riper tannins, and a favorable acid/sugar balance.
I am especially excited about this year's Sauvignon Blanc as the conditions to date are perfect for healthy, top-quality grapes."
We are delighted to introduce the cutest new member of our game camp family! Say hello to Groote Post's adorable fluffy baby giraffe.
Giraffes were introduced to Groote Post about 6 years ago and this is the second precious calf born in the game camp. Giraffe mums give birth standing up to prevent damaging their babies' lengthy necks, so the new-borns fall headfirst to the ground. Surprisingly, the fall doesn't hurt the calf, but rather helps it by snapping the umbilical cord. The mums hide away alone with their vulnerable calves for a few weeks.
Click HERE to book a game drive.
We are delighted to introduce our new cellar door manager, Julene Bredell, and have asked her to say a few words about her first three months at Groote Post.
"I go back a long way with Groote Post and the Pentz family, having helped out in the cellar with labelling and bottling for pocket money when I was still a student. Growing up in Darling, surrounded by vineyards, I easily developed an appreciation for wine. I also love meeting new people. So, coming to work at Groote Post seemed very natural to me.
I feel blessed to have been welcomed back into the Groote Post family and to spend my working hours on this beautiful family farm. In the tasting room I am fortunate to liaise with a wide variety of local and international wine lovers on a daily basis."
Next time you visit Groote Post, be sure to pop in at the cellar for a tasting with Julene.
We're excited to present our latest and exclusive premium addition to the Groote Post wine range; The Inheritance Merlot 2020 which celebrates the Pentz family's rich legacy dating back to 1904.
Bonded by shared values and vision, the family honours its forefathers who paved the way, and embraces its stewardship of the land for future generations.
Carefully sourced from a select vineyard block with small, concentrated berries which delivered superior, deep-flavoured juice, the wine was aged in first-fill 300-litre French oak barrels for 15 months. This elegant well balanced Merlot delights with an abundance of ripe red cherries and raspberries complemented by earthy undertones of forest floor layered with expressive notes of vanilla, spice and cedar which linger well after the last sip.
Click HERE to buy The Inheritance.
Not for sale to persons under the age of 18. Enjoy Responsibly.