Guardian Peak is named after the towering peak on Stellenbosch Mountain, in a region where wine forms part of daily life.
Guardian Peak was the fourth and final wine estate I visited during my mini-break to some of the wine estates in the ‘golden triangle’, South of Stellenbosch.
The winery is located on Annandale Road in Stellenbosch, in the neighbourhood of Ernie Els.
The triangle includes the Upper Blaauwklippen and Annandale valleys and is home to some of my favourite vineyards. Guardian Peak was well located too for my journey afterwards to Cape Town.
It was founded in 1998 by Jean Engelbrecht, who combined his knowledge of international wine markets with his experience at his family wine estate in Stellenbosch to create a range of everyday-drinking, fresh and approachable wines.
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Almost three decades later, Guardian Peak pride themselves on producing sustainable wines of consistent quality that are friendly and easy to enjoy.
The area has some of the densest wine farms I have seen: Audacia, Annandale, Akkerdraai, Peter Falke, Uva Mura, Hidden Valley, Ernie Els, Cirrus, Stellenbosch Reserve, Donkiesbaai, Webersberg, Alto, Rust en Vrede and Guardian Peak vineyards/wines all lie within a 1 kilometre square.
Unsurprisingly, not all have their own vineyards. Guardian Peak, for example, relies on grapes from long-term contracted growers in Stellenbosch and Breedekloof.
Grapes for Guardian Peak are sourced from respected growers with whom we have long-term contracts.
Two decades later, we pride ourselves on producing sustainable wines of consistent quality that are friendly and easy to enjoy.
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Jean Engelbrecht created Guardian Peak in 1998 with the aim to produce quality wines at affordable prices so that more people can enjoy the culture of living with wine.
In Guardian Peak's wine cellar, premium South African wines are made from high-quality grapes, combining high quality with uncomplicated enjoyment - all at an excellent price-pleasure relationship.
TOUR DE KAPA EP.2 : Guardian Peak Wine Tasting
The Philosophy Behind the Wine
Here at Guardian Peak, we believe that a lifestyle without wine is incomplete.
Our Live with Wine philosophy is built on our firm belief that wine and food should be inseparable in our daily diet.
That is why we present our wines to you in a relaxed restaurant setting, where wine with food is our focus.
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A lifestyle without wine is incomplete.
The connection between wine and food plays an important role and is the focus of the estate's own restaurant.
Incidentally, the restaurant has received numerous good reviews from visitors on the travel portal tripadvisor and is listed there among the top 20 restaurants in Stellenbosch.
Tastings are held at one end of the expansive bistro-styled Restaurant, opened in late-2005, which is just a short walk from the car park.
Four tastings were offered: the ‘Live with Wine’ tasting of 4 entry level Guardian Peak wines (R40); the ‘Stellenbosch Reserve’ tasting (R60 for 5 wines); the ‘Flagship Red’ tasting (R60 for 4 wines); and the ‘Donkiesbaai’ tasting (R120 for 4 wines from the premium Donkiesbaai Range).
I opted to taste wines from the Stellenbosch Reserve Range.
The wines are made in an immediately approachable style.
Chill. Open. Pour.
No decanting rituals. No encyclopedic tasting notes.
Just bright flavors, good friends, and a view.
Wine isn’t reserved for special occasions. It creates them.
Guardian Peak Wines
Guardian Peak wines bring fresh flavors and immediate drinkability.
No patience required.
The focus is on red grape varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot, which are vinified into single-varietal wines that reflect the typical character of each grape variety.
For white wine fans, the creations from Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc offer carefree drinking pleasure.
The white wines burst with guava, kiwi, and lime-zest brightness while the reds deliver juicy berry depth wrapped in supple tannins.
Perfect for a fireside chat or backyard grill.
The flagship wine is the red blend called SMG.
Those who prefer elegant and complex wines should try the wines of the Stellenbosch Reserve Collection.
They impressively bring the terroir of the Stellenbosch region to the bottle.
However, the accessible and complex wines from Guardian Peak have one thing in common: they are wonderful accompaniments to food - after all, the philosophy of the winery is "Live with Wine".
I did not taste from the Guardian Peak Range but the Tasting Menu offered wines from R95 to R330 made from all the major white and red varieties, together with a Rhône and a Bordeaux style blend.
The Moederkerk Chardonnay - meaning ‘Mother Church’ in Afrikaans and named after the 1863 Dutch Reform Church in Stellenbosch - showed a classic, elegant wine label.
The wine was pale straw to pale yellow in colour, indicative of 50% aged in oak, and showed citrus notes of sweet and bitter lemon together with hazelnut and vanilla.
I rated the Hangbrug Chenin Blanc, of similar appearance, the same.
Named after the Hangbrug (Suspension) Bridge across the Eerste Rivier, the wine offered delicate tropical guava, ripe lemon and white honey aromas on the nose.
I much preferred the Kweekskool (1859 Stellenbosch Theological Seminary) Merlot, the first red wine of the tasting.
The wine is made from Stellenbosch grapes and aged for 12 months in old French barrels.
The aromas were minty to start before those of redcurrant, cranberry and red cherry emerged.
Mint remained on the palate as drying, structured tannins from the young (2017) wine dominated on the palate and finish.
The Afrikaans wine naming continued for the Cabernet Sauvignon.
Ou Hoofgebou is the university building built to commemorate the bicentenary of Stellenbosch University in 1879.
The wine shared many characteristics of the Merlot with a nose of medium intensity red and dark fruits, of cassis, dark plum and dried Protea.
The last 2 wines of the tasting were much better and vied for my favourite wine of the tasting.
The Vanderstel Bordeaux-style blend was far more rounded and balanced on the palate.
The taut tannins remained but better matched the fruity, ripe minty and dried herb fruits as each cultivar contributed to give the wine complexity.
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