The Cape Winelands boast a rich history spanning over 300 years, making it one of the oldest New-World wine regions. This legacy has been built by generations of families, passing down their knowledge of growing wine at the southern tip of Africa. This cultivation has resulted in a unique approach to winemaking, solidifying South Africa's reputation as one of the world's top wine-producing countries. Among these esteemed estates, Delheim Wine Estate stands out with its captivating history, commitment to sustainability, and exceptional wines.
Vineyards in Stellenbosch
The German Connection
The farm on which Delheim Wine Estate stands today dates back to the era when the very first vineyards were being planted in the Stellenbosch region. The farm's German connection can be traced back to 1699 when Simon van der Stel granted this piece of land - known as De Driesprong at the time - to Lourenz Kamfer. It passed through many hands until 1939, when Mr. Hans Hoheisen, also German, bought it as a retirement home.
Initially, Hans and his wife planted citrus trees. However, they soon discovered that the wind conditions on this slope of the Simonsberg were not suitable for citrus cultivation. At the suggestion of friends, they transformed the farm into a vineyard, and Delheim was born. The estate was named after Hans' wife, Deli.
Michael "Spatz" Sperling's Arrival
After World War II, Deli visited her native Germany. There, she mentioned to her nephew, Michael, that they needed help on their farm in South Africa. Michael, with limited prospects in Germany at the time, journeyed to his aunt and uncle’s farm in Stellenbosch in 1951 aboard a ship named Winchester Castle, arriving with little more than £10 in his pocket.
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Somehow, Michael “Spatz” Sperling had found his calling in winemaking, despite knowing almost nothing about wine at the time, other than that he liked it. He learned from books, neighborly advice, the wisdom of visiting German winemakers, and engaging with his new calling. His wine started winning awards, and he soon became one of the country’s top wine pioneers, even founding the Stellenbosch Wine Route (the country’s first) in 1971.
In that same year, Delheim expanded its borders by acquiring another farm nearby, which Michael named Vera Cruz after his wife Vera, whom he met in South Africa, but who was originally from the Netherlands, and still lives on the farm today. He proposed to her in the garden where the Delheim Restaurant currently stands in a moment when she felt it prudent to inform him that they should break things off, as she was intent on returning to Holland.
DE MEYE WINE ESTATE, five generations of farming history in Stellenbosch
The Legacy Continues
Today, Delheim is run by Michael and Vera’s son, Victor Sperling and daughter, Nora Sperling-Thiel, both of whom are passionately involved in the estate’s operations. Delheim is also an official conservation champion, meaning that the vineyards are carefully managed to consider the greater environment. At regular intervals between rows of vines, one encounters corridors of naturally occurring flora that, since the Sperlings have planted them, have attracted a diverse array of insects and animals, effectively restoring the vineyards’ biodiversity.
Nora has also developed a keen interest in the medicinal qualities of the various fynbos that grow in the area and has played an integral part in eradicating much of the alien plant species on the farm to allow the indigenous species to flourish, and so, restore the farm’s ecological balance.
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The Sperling Family
The Winemaker's Perspective
But the strength of a family-run farm is often best exemplified by those outsiders who find resonance in the family’s ethos, and general belief in what they do. When asking Delheim’s winemaker, Roelof Lotriet, whether there’s a difference between family-produced wines and those produced by more commercial operations, his immediate response is, “Of course there is!” Having worked at wineries at regular intervals in France, Roelof’s approach to wine is decidedly an Old-World one.
“I don’t think the French have a secret recipe for making wine,” he says, “but there is a definite connection between the estate, the vineyard and the wine. When holding a bottle in your hand, it’s their family pride, in a way… it’s who they are. When working for a bigger operation, which I’ve done, you’re just making wine.“To me, putting in all that time - so much of you - has to mean more than just making money. It’s the story that makes the difference.”
Roelof remembers, “When I saw Delheim were looking for a winemaker, I immediately jumped at the chance. I mean, right now, I’m reaping the rewards of the guys who planted the Chenin Blanc vineyards here 35 years ago. I’m part of a greater story.”
But Delheim seems to have been blessed in other ways as well. Despite being situated in Stellenbosch against the Simonsberg, a region that often suffers from extreme heat conditions in summer, Roelof finds that the farm might very well be colder than parts of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley, an area famed for its cooler climate, brought on by its proximity to the Atlantic.
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“If you had told me before I came to work here that you could grow Gewürztraminer and Riesling here, I would have gone, ‘In Stellenbosch?!’” Roelof laughs. “It’s cold enough, but our neighbour on the other side of the hill is in a completely different pocket.”
In the wine world, few times of the year are as exciting as harvest season, which usually occurs between January and March in South Africa. “We still harvest by hand,” he says, “there’s no better way. And being in a relatively cold pocket, we don’t need to harvest too early. The picking is quite straightforward, but sorting has made great leaps technologically.”
As part of Delheim’s conservation-first ethos, Roelof has embraced the use of technology to work as effectively as possible. All the water used during the winemaking process in the cellar is recycled and used for irrigation, for instance, and Roelof is constantly exploring new ways to make wine more simply and effectively.
“But when it comes to the actual making of the wine, I still prefer the Old-World methods, like punching the skins down in an open-top tank, so I can see the colour of the wine and what it’s doing,” he says.
“To me, the focal point with any wine is when you harvest. You can taste how the wine was harvested immediately. Wine that was harvested too early will taste green and unripe and will have a different flavour profile to what you’d expect from that wine. Too late and it will have a jammy, raisiny quality; a ‘warm’ taste.”
The question on everyone’s lips these days is what the impact of climate change will have on our wine industry. “You’ve got to prepare for the fact that things could change drastically in the next few years,” Roelof agrees. “There are those who say that Stellenbosch might get colder. As winemakers, we need to be aware of what the climate is doing, and we have to adapt. This year, for instance, we’ve had to start harvesting earlier. But in the end, it’s all part of the story.
Delheim Grand Reserve
Delheim produces a range of award-winning wines, led by the majestic Grand Reserve, which since its maiden release in 1981, has been honored with many prestigious accolades. The Grand Reserve is a stately expression of the most exceptional red wine the cellar has to offer with each vintage. The 2015 vintage of this Bordeaux-style flagship is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Classic in its own style, it has aromas of truffle and mint cassis with nuanced flavours of red berry fruit.
Significantly, the 2017 vintage marks the 40th year that the iconic Grand Reserve - the apex of Delheim’s red wine collection - has been in existence. It is only made in years of exceptional quality with the maiden vintage released in 1981. Crafted vintage-to-bottle with the specific intention of being the most outstanding expression of the harvest, this stately wine is an eagerly anticipated collector’s item of the highest quality. Over the last four decades, no matter the winemakers involved, the Grand Reserve has achieved its unwavering style because of its truly remarkable Simonsberg terroir.
Quality has always trumped quantity in its making. The wine has attracted a loyal following of connoisseurs who understand the celebrated winery’s commitment to consistent quality and simply letting the vineyards speak through the wines.
It was originally created by Kevin Arnold, a youngster then who has gone on to become one of South Africa’s elder winemakers. Kevin has been behind three of South Africa’s most iconic super premium red wines since the country’s return to the international stage - the Delheim Grand Reserve among them. He joined Delheim in 1979 as winemaking assistant to the legendary Spatz Sperling, Delheim’s owner and pioneering winemaker in his own right, before taking over the helm.
Kevin credits a sojourn in California, in 1981 as the first winemaker invited from South Africa to the Robert Mondavi Winery, for cementing the possibility that his home country could produce a super-premium red. That same year, he launched the Delheim Grand Reserve, which went on to win the prestigious General Smuts Trophy in 1986.
The mantle for the wine now falls to current Delheim winemaker Roelof Lotriet, who shares the same alma mater as Kevin of St Andrews School in Bloemfontein.
Remarking on the 40-year milestone, Roelof says such achievements are only possible with sound starting points. “The principles from the parable of the wise man building his house upon rock were instilled in me from young age. Delheim has made wine for 82 years. It has understood the value of good sites and specific terroir as a foundation of world-class wines. “In the case of the Grand Reserve, Cabernet Sauvignon in this specific location has made the variety the wine’s dominant building block.”
The 2017 vintage is rounded off with touches of Merlot and Cabernet Franc. It spent 18 months in 300L French oak barrels of which 30% is new. During this time, lot allocations for the Grand Reserve are made, always based on quality. A final selection of the best barrels ensues before test blends are made up. The wine is given time to integrate and settle before bottling, and further 18-24 months of maturation prior to release.
The vineyards that produce Delheim’s premium Cabernet Sauvignon have a long history themselves. In the mid-1970s, Spatz acquired 80ha of prime red-wine land on Klapmutskop nearby. On this property, named Vera Cruz, Cabernet Sauvignon thrives on southwest-facing slopes. In 2010 Delheim undertook replanting of Cabernet Sauvignon to maintain vineyard health and quality. By 2016 most of those vines were producing quality wines again.
“Since then, the quality has gone from strength to strength and the 2017 vintage of the Delheim Grand Reserve shows what Delheim is about,” says Roelof. “The esteemed Platter’s guide five stars for the Grand Reserve are recognition of that.” He adds: “Making a great wine once is easy. Delivering an exceptional wine that is consistent in quality - for 40 years - is no small feat.”
Other recent accolades include a Top Ten spot in the Prescient Cape Bordeaux Red Blend Report 2021 by Winemag.co.za and an impressive 93-point score in the 2020 South Africa Special Report by internationally acclaimed wine critic Tim Atkin, British Master of Wine.
The Grand Reserve 2017 shows a complex nose of dark fruits dominated by blackberries and blackcurrant followed by notes of tobacco and tomato leaf, fresh lead pencil shavings and cassis. The palate is elegantly poised with dark red fruit and a smooth chalky tannin finish that’s true to the area.
It is definitely a wine to keep - Grand Reserve is designed for long-term ageing. Roelof recommends up to 15 years from vintage.
Visiting Delheim
I visited Delheim, to the North-East of Stellenbosch, for the Harvest Festival. Delheim holds one of the first wine festivals in the region to usher in the grape-picking season. The approach road to the estate led up a windy road with glorious views of the surrounding mountains and vineyards. It was good to park under the shady trees. The Simonsberg is named after Simon van der Stel, the first Governor of the Cape, who granted freehold to the land to Laurenz Kamfer, a German, in 1699. Originally a citrus farm, the first grapes were planted in 1940 and the German history remains to this day. The name ‘Delheim’ comes from the German ‘Deli’s home’ and named after the wife of the then owner who bought the farm as a retirement home.
It was just after the war that the owner’s nephew decided to join the family and to help out on the farm. Besides developing the estate and pioneering wine-making through trial and error, Spatz developed wine tourism. Delheim was one of the founders of the first wine route in 1971 together with Spier and Simonsig estates.
We arrived without tickets and walked though the shady courtyard with ancient oak trees and ivy-covered buildings. The walkway led through the cellar containing the vast concrete tanks and extra large oak vats. It was chilled cool that gave a welcome respite from the outdoor heat. We took our chance at the arrival desk and, fortunately, tickets became available.
Many festival-goers had already arrived and were sitting around the upturned half barrels in shade under trees surrounding the sloping lawns. Music was playing, simple snack lunches were available, and the bar was open. The grape stomping had already started so we put our name down and waited our turn. Half an hour later it was our turn. We took off our shoes and socks and introduced ourselves to our colleagues on ‘Team Groovy’. We had three minutes to run 100m to collect two crates of grapes and to press as much juice as we could with our bare feet. It was surprisingly tiring and we made sure all had their turn. The call to stop was sounded and the juice and crushed grapes from each team was separated in tanks beside the lawn. Team Groovy came second with over 13 litres of juice. Needless to say, the juice is not used in any wine-making! We washed our legs off with a hose after.
We bought a tasty ice cream and watched the barrel-rolling around a u-shaped route. It looked hard and was more difficult than it looked. The music played on, complete with a melodious saxophonist, while couples challenged each other to giant jenga on the lawn.
My partner had been to Delheim before for wine-tasting so we retraced our way through the cellars to the tasting room. The extent of the Delheim range of wines became immediately apparent. All but one of the 16 wines - from MCC to white to rosé to red to dessert - were available for tasting. We could choose between the R25 Standard and R50 Premium tasting, depending on whether the Vera Cruz and Edelsplatz were included.
Delheim has two mountain properties farmed as one: the Delheim estate and the Vera Cruz estate 3km away to the West. Delheim covers 36-50 hectares and is planted with white varieties: Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc and Weisser Riesling. The vineyards lie on slopes at 320m to 480m above sea level at the foot of Simonsberg Mountain. The larger Vera Cruz estate, 85-100 hectares, is at lower altitude (190-350m above sea level) and is partially drip-irrigated. Red grape varieties, grown on bush vines, predominate and include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinotage and Shiraz.
We shared a Standard and a Premium tasting to sample wines from both estates. I didn’t bring my tasting sheets for the festival and so it felt like a holiday not having to make thorough notes for each glass. Pauline was our attentive host and enjoyed serving us our wines ‘blind’, something she was rarely asked to do. We enjoyed almost the full range! I asked to compare the different single white and red grape varieties alongside each other: Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Gewürtztraminer, and then Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Pinotage. We were spot on with our white and red grape identifications, without knowing in advance the cultivars, which restored my tasting confidence. We finished with the infamous - or is it famous? - natural, sweet Spatzendreck dessert wine.
The story goes that on one particular Sunday afternoon, between sauerkraut and swimming, Spatz led his friends to the cellar to taste his latest wines. One was heard to remark after tasting a particularly flawed sample, “Oh Spatz, this now is really dreck! (German: ‘sh*t)’”. Spatz was consoled by a friend who said, “Try again, succeed and call it Spatz’s dreck”. Years later and having mastered the art of wine-making, Spatz labelled the wine with an ‘ennobled’ sparrow pooping into the cask.
I enjoyed the wines and the tasting enormously and all the more so being able merely to experience. We left Delheim, my first time at the family estate, having had a fun and outstanding day out. The festival gave me my first, memorable, grape ‘stomping’. I greatly liked the wines that offer good value for money. I could easily have bought more from the extensive selection. Delheim Wines did more than live up to its historic heritage.
Delheim Wine Varieties
Delheim Winery cultivates several grape varieties, including Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Riesling, Shiraz, and Gewurztraminer. Vineyard workers handpick the finest grapes to produce high-quality red, white, sparkling, rosé, and dessert wines.
Here is a list of the grape varieties that Delheim cultivates:
| Grape Variety | Wine Type |
|---|---|
| Chenin Blanc | White |
| Chardonnay | White |
| Pinotage | Red |
| Cabernet Sauvignon | Red |
| Merlot | Red |
| Riesling | White |
| Shiraz | Red |
| Gewurztraminer | White |
Plan Your Visit
Getting There
Delheim Wine Estate is located in Stellenbosch. The most convenient way to get there from Cape Town is by car, which takes about 45-60 minutes. You can also arrange for a taxi or ride-sharing service. Some visitors opt for organized wine tours that include Delheim as a stop. Public transport options to Delheim are limited. While buses run to Stellenbosch, you would likely need to arrange a local taxi or shuttle from the town to the estate itself. Renting a car or joining a wine tour is generally recommended for ease of access.
Directions
From Cape Town, take the N2 highway towards Somerset West, then merge onto the R44 towards Stellenbosch. Follow the R44 for approximately 15 km, and you will see signs for Delheim Wine Estate on your left. It's a scenic drive through the Winelands.
Tickets & Entry
While walk-ins are sometimes accommodated, it is highly recommended to book your wine tasting in advance, especially for premium tastings or during peak season, to avoid disappointment.
Opening Hours
Delheim Wine Estate is typically open daily from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
Wine Tasting Prices
Wine tasting prices vary depending on the selection. Expect to pay between R100-R250+ per person for standard to premium tastings. Special experiences like the Kurktafel or foraging have separate, higher costs.
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