Thelema Mountain Vineyards: A South African Winemaking Gem

Nov 15, 2025 0

Thelema Mountain Vineyards is an iconic wine estate located in Stellenbosch, South Africa. The Webb family describe Thelema as “one of the most beautiful places on earth”. Thelema offers superb wine and is a wonderful destination for wine lovers visiting South Africa.

The History and Philosophy

After leaving his accounting career to become a winemaker, Gyles Webb, and the help of his wife’s family, the McLean’s, purchased Thelema in 1983. The manor house was restored and the first wines under the Thelema label were released in 1988. By the mid 90’s, their wines sold out within a month of release, making it one of the most sought-after wine estates in South Africa. The Webb family believes grape quality is the single most important factor in serious winemaking; their policy is one of minimum interference, allowing the wines to be a true expression of each vineyard.

The name Thelema comes from the monk, François Rabelais, a doctor and writer in sixteenth-century France who imagined a utopian abbey on the banks of the Loire. Contrasting to the religious orders of his day, this community admitted both men and women, and encouraged them to live together in great luxury. Only one law governed its members: “Fay ce que couldras” - “Do what thou wilt!”. This was the Abbey of Thélème. Here, Rabelais spent a lot of his time thinking and writing about wine. Some of his most memorable quotes being, “Wine is the most civilized thing on earth”, and “Never did a great man hate good wine”. Thus, the name of the vineyard on the slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain.

The Phoenix Crest

Thelema Mountain Vineyards’ crest showcases a phoenix. This sacred phoenix appears in ancient Arabian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, Chinese and Indian mythology, but it also symbolizes the birth of Thelema as it is present on both sides of the Thelema family. The McLeans owned the Phoenix Garden Hotel in Kimberley, and there is a phoenix on the Webb family crest.

Vineyards and Terroir

Situated on the southeastern side of the Simonsberg Mountain, with elevations 1739 feet above sea level and mainly south-facing slopes, Thelema Mountain Vineyards possesses some of the highest elevations in Stellenbosch, South Africa. These high altitudes and the rich red soils are ideal for premium quality wine grape production. The grapes benefit from sandstone and granite soil.

Sutherland Vineyards: Elgin Valley

After establishing Thelema Mountain Vineyards as a renowned estate in Stellenbosch, Gyles Webb set out in the early 2000s to craft a new line of small-batch, cool-climate wines. His search for the ideal location led him to a former apple orchard in the Elgin Valley-an area that would become home to Sutherland Vineyards. Located just 9 kilometers from the Atlantic Ocean and ranging from 140 to 250 meters above sea level, Sutherland benefits from its cool maritime climate. These conditions contribute to wines that are beautifully balanced, with remarkable depth and complexity of flavor.

Elign was declared a wine ward in 1990, as one of the Cape’s newer appellations. Even though it has a grape cultivation history dating back to the 18th century, it was only recently recognized as a wine ward (designated viticultural area). Learn more about the Elgin wine region here.

Wine Tasting Experience

Thelema offers two ranges of wines: the namesake Thelema, produced from estate grapes in Stellenbosch, and Sutherland, which uses grapes from Thelema’s Elgin vineyard. Sixty percent of the wine produced by this iconic estate is white.

During a visit, one might sample a variety of wines, including:

Sauvignon Blanc: The 2014 Thelema Sauvignon Blanc is highly regarded, with beautiful purity of limes and ripe gooseberry, with tropical, floral and fine herbal notes.
Dry Riesling: A 2012 Thelema Dry Riesling has a soft style with grapefruit notes.
Chardonnay: The 2013 Thelema Chardonnay had hints of peach and a clean finish.
Viognier-Roussanne: The Sutherland 2012 Viognier-Roussanne is a white Rhone-style blend, with 89% Viognier and aged 10 months in new oak.
Mountain Red: The 2012 Thelema Mountain Red is a mixture of six different grape varieties: 37% Shiraz, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Petit Verdot, 10% Merlot, 4% Grenache and 1% Cabernet Franc.
Cabernet Sauvignon: The 2010 Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon is a classic Cabernet, swirling with flavors of pencil shavings and dark chocolate. The 2011 Thelema Rabelais is a delicious Cab with 10% Petit Verdot, lush and velvety wine that is so smooth on the palate.

The first was the 2010 Sutherland Cabernet-Petit Verdot, with 70% Cab to 30% Petit Verdot, has a delicious mouthfeel with ripe berries and sweet currant.

Read also: The History of Lanzerac

Wine Production Methods

Thelema employs meticulous methods in their wine production:

Sauvignon Blanc: The grapes were gently de-stemmed, pumped through a mash cooler, with glycol set at 41°F to cool the fruit down. A dose of pectolytic enzymes as well as a small amount of SO2 is added to aid in the juice clarification process, prevent oxidation, and spontaneous fermentations. Clarification takes place via floatation, and the juice is moved to its fermentation tanks. The juice is inoculated with a commercial yeast strain, the ferment runs at 57.2°F, to maintain a progressive yet stable fermentation curve. The wines are left on their gross lees for 5 months.
Shiraz: The grapes were gently de-stemmed, retaining as many whole berries as possible, before passing over an additional vibrating table to remove all MOG (matter other than grapes). A displacement pump takes the fruit to its fermentation tank. The tanks are then inoculated with a specific commercial yeast strain, this way insuring the development of the perfect flavor profile. Fermentation is done in stainless steel fermenters, and combination of aerated pump overs and punch down techniques are used to ensure optimal color, tannin and flavor extraction. Once fermentation is complete, the wine is drained off the skins and moved to a holding tank to be barreled down.
Cabernet Sauvignon: De-stalked, hand sorting of berries, crushed, pumped into stainless steep tanks, pumped over once a day until dry, racked to barrel of malolactic fermentation.

Accolades

Thelema wines have received numerous accolades, including:

Chardonnay: 94 Points - Tim Atkin, MW, and 91 Points - Decanter World Wine Awards.
Cabernet Sauvignon: 5 Stars - Platter's Wine Guide. Thelema have firmly entrenched themselves as one of the leaders in Cabernet Sauvignon, placing Stellenbosch Cabernet’s firmly on the global wine map.

Food Pairing Suggestions

The cool climate Syrah pairs wonderfully with a range of dishes. This Syrah reveals a harmonious blend of ripe blackberries and plums with touches of violet, black pepper, and smoky cedar on the nose. On the palate, vibrant acidity complements juicy black cherries, while subtle notes of cured meat and graphite add complexity. Wood Maturation: 18 months in barrel.

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Recipes for Wine Pairing

Here are a few recipes that pair well with Thelema wines:

Read also: Captivating Wine Glasses

Grilled Halibut: Place the halibut fillet in a shallow baking dish. Gently toss the fillet to ensure all sides are evenly coated in the butter. Moisten a paper towel with cooking oil. Place the seasoned halibut directly on the grill grates. Close the lid and grill for 5-7 minutes. Flip them, close the lid, and grill until the internal temperature of the halibut reads 145ºF. Remove the grilled halibut from the grill.
Blackberry Balsamic Burgers: Place burgers onto heated skillet or grill. Add all of your ingredients to a small saucepan on medium heat. Gently smash the blackberries down and allow to cook for 10 minutes. To assemble burgers place burgers on your favorite gluten free bun. Top with the blackberry balsamic sauce, fresh arugula, and dairy free feta.

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