Spier Wine Farm
 | |
| Independent wine producer | |
| Industry | Wine production |
| Founded | 1692 |
| Headquarters | Stellenbosch, South Africa |
Key people | Dick Enthoven, owner |
| Website |
www |
Spier Wine Farm is situated in the Stellenbosch region approximately 50 km from Cape Town, South Africa. The farm has enjoyed a long history which dates back to 1692 when the first free burghers trekked from the Cape colony to establish farms in this region. As one of the oldest farms in the region, it has long been noted for its cultural and historical significance particularly of its architecture.[1] The farm buildings bear twenty one Cape Dutch Gables, more than any other farm in the area. This particular architectural style known as Cape Dutch architecture is based on styles from medieval Europe and is unique to South Africa and in particular, the Western Cape. Wine production and sales as well as leisure activities are the core business activities on the farm today and the farm has become well known for its sustainability initiatives.
Location: R310 Baden Powell Rd, Stellenbosch 7603, South Africa
History
Although the origin of its name is not certain, it is believed that Spier’s name could have been derived from the Dutch word for “marsh of bulrushes”. The land that forms the farm has been most likely inhabited by humans as far back as the Early Stone Age, and later inhabited by the Khoisan. In 1652, the Cape of Good Hope was established by Jan van Riebeeck as a refreshment station for Dutch East India Company ships. By the late 1600s, farmers had begun to move away from Cape Town, settling on the banks of the Eerste River. Spier’s first recorded owner was Arnoud Jansz, a German soldier in the service of the Dutch East India Company. Jansz planted the farm’s first vines, making his first wine from 200 of them in 1700.
In 1767, Albertus Myburgh, who owned the property between 1765 and 1781 built Spier’s famous old wine cellar which is believed to be the oldest dated wine cellar in South Africa and is one of several buildings of architectural significance on the farm. According to architectural historian Dr Hans Fransen, Spier is the Cape Dutch farm with the most gables in the Cape.
Niel Joubert purchased Spier in 1965. At the time, Joubert – as with most wine farmers in the area – had been making wine for the larger co-operative wineries, such as the Stellenbosch Farmers Winery and KWV, which would then bottle the product for selling. In 1971, however, Spier began bottling its own-labelled wine. The Stellenbosch wine route, established in 1971 by Niel Joubert from Spier, Frans Malan from Simonsig and Spatz Sperling from Delheim is a world-renowned and popular tourist destination.
In 1993 the farm was purchased by Dick Enthoven. Under his custodianship, an extensive programme of renovation commenced to preserve the farm’s historic buildings.
In spite of sharing the name, value investor Guy Spier does not have a connection to the estate.
Cape Dutch Gables
Today the wine farm has a large collection of Cape Dutch gables; 21 in total. “Of all Cape Dutch farms in the Cape, most of them with their own centre and end gables, it is Spier that boasts the greatest number of them: 21 in total, all beautifully preserved.” —Architectural historian Dr Hans Fransen (Ph.D. Natal, D.Phil. h.c. Stell.)
The dwellings built by the early settlers in the Cape were simple; usually with no foundations, at most three rooms in a row with thatched roofs steeply pitched and supported by rafters. Walls, which consisted of thick rubble, clay or later sun-baked bricks, were protected by a layer of rough plaster and lime wash.
Later, when the farmers became more prosperous, additional rooms were built, and gables were added to adorn buildings. While the gables of the historic Cape Dutch buildings derived their inspiration from the medieval towns of the Netherlands, it was at the Cape that the decorative gable reached its fullest flowering. The gables were mostly built by slaves, many of whom were skilled builders and craftsmen from the East.
Location of the Gables
The gables are found in six buildings across the farm namely the Wine Cellar (3), the Manor House(4), the Jonkershuis (3), the Workshop (5) the Slave Quarters (3) and the Stables (3). The gables and buildings span a 60 year architectural history with the earliest gables on the Wine Cellar dating to 1767 and the latest on the Manor House dating to 1822. They include various gable styles including early holbol, late holbol and neo classical.
Wine
Spier’s cellar has ISO 22000 certification, is Fair Trade accredited, organically certified and follows the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) criteria. Grapes are picked by hand in specially chosen vineyards across the Western Cape, and immediately cooled when they arrive at the cellar. The grapes are then hand-sorted and, in spite of strict vineyard practices, up to 10% do not make it past the sorting tables. The winemaking team is led by Frans Smit who has been making wine at Spier since 1995.
Ranges
Spier Signature is a range of everyday drinking wines represent what Spier does best. There are seven single varietals in this range, as well as Spier’s Méthode Cap Classique Brut.
The Spier Creative Block blended wine range takes its name from a Spier Arts Academy project that combines artworks from different artists and rearranges them to create something new. The three wines (Creative Block 2, Creative Block 3 and Creative Block 5) are named after the number of varietals used to create the blend.
The 21 Gables range features a Chenin Blanc, Pinotage and a Sauvignon Blanc, and celebrates the history of winemaking in South Africa, as well as the farm’s unique architectural feature: 21 Cape Dutch gables.
Frans K. Smit, Spier’s flagship wine, is named after Spier’s Cellar Master. The limited edition blend is composed predominantly of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Shiraz. Depending on the vintage, other varietals may be added.
Awards
Spier’s winery has won multiple awards in recent years, including Producer of the Year (Mundus Vini, Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2011). Spier also performed exceptionally well at the 2011 International Wine and Spirits Competition (five Best in Class Gold medals and two trophies), and was the top performing winery at the Veritas Awards in 2009 and 2010. In 2013, it won two double golds and six golds at the Veritas Awards and the Creative Block 2 2012 was declared White Wine of the Year by South African Airways (SAA).
Activities and hospitality
Wine tasting
A number of different tastings are available, some paired with food, at Spier’s new tasting venue which opened in 2011 and is located on the banks of the Spier dam, with views of the Helderberg mountains. Spier wine is sold here at cellar door prices.
Food
Eight Restaurant is a farm-to-table eating experience using natural and organic ingredients; as much as possible is sourced from the farm itself and nearby producers. The neighbouring Eight to Go provides ready-to-eat food and picnic hampers. Moyo at Spier offers an African-inspired culinary experience, with lively outdoor entertainment.
Hotel and conferencing
The four star Spier Hotel’s village-style buildings, inspired by the Bo-Kaap area of Cape Town, are next to the Eerste River. There are155 rooms clustered around six private courtyards, each with its own swimming pool. Lawns, gardens and walkways connect the rooms with the reception area, lounge, bar, terrace and restaurant. The Spier Hotel was one of the first in South Africa to be awarded the Fair Trade in Tourism SA accreditation in 2004. The Camelot spa offers a variety of holistic treatments and a full range of spa therapies. Spier has 17 different meeting spaces venues varying in capacity, including the conference centre, the historic Manor House, and bomas on the banks of the river.
Tours
Spier offers a number of tours. The Heritage Walk and Gables audio tour allow guests to experience the farm’s heritage and history while the Spier vineyards can be experienced on the Segway PT (Personal Transporter) tour. Established by landscape architect Patrick Watson and horticulturalist Wilton Sikhosana, the Protea Walk allows visitors to observe close-up the large variety of proteas (South Africa’s national flower) growing on the farm.
Art and craft
Spier has one of the most extensive collections of contemporary art in South Africa; a small selection is displayed in its public spaces at Spier, such as the manor house and hotel. The work is rotated on an annual basis. Regular exhibitions are held in the Spier Old Wine Cellar Gallery, showcasing works from the collection. The craft market and Spier Hotel’s craft shop are projects of the Spier Craft Development Programme, which promote the work of more than 90 different craft enterprises, mostly from historically disadvantaged communities in South Africa.
Eagle Encounters
Spier has donated land, electricity and water is home to Eagle Encounters, a bird-of-prey rehabilitation, conservation, education and eco-tourism project which receives birds that have been injured, poisoned or illegally removed from their nests, and works towards re-releasing healthy, fit, successfully hunting and able-breeding raptors into the wild. Guests to Spier are invited to interact with tame birds, as well as participate in the daily flying display.
Sustainability
The environment
Spier was awarded Champion member status of the WWF’s Biodiversity & Wine Initiative (BWI) for its propagation and replanting programme which has allowed more than 45,000 indigenous plants to be replanted on areas of the farm where alien vegetation has been cleared. 100% of the farm’s wastewater and over 90% of its solid waste is recycled.
Spier has extensive tracts of land that are farmed using biodynamic principles by Angus McIntosh. Animals, including cattle, sheep and chickens, are raised on pastures, and contribute to the fertility of the soil and the sequestration of carbon. There is an extensive organic vegetable garden with a broad variety of crops. The ethically produced meat, vegetables and eggs are used in Spier’s farm-to-table eating experiences Eight and Eight to Go. The farm’s vineyards are currently in conversion to organic status, to be followed by conversion to biodynamic status.
Social development
Spier has been recognised by various external organisations including Fair Trade in Tourism (FTTSA) and the Wine Industry Ethical Trade Association (WIETA).
In 2011, it won the “poverty” category and was runner-up in the “preservation” category at the Condé Nast Traveler World Savers Award, leading it to being recognised by the awards as the top large resort ‘Doing it All’. Spier supports local communities through the treepreneur project, which encourages people in impoverished communities to grow trees in exchange for essential goods. The estate also supports entrepreneurs by helping them create micro-enterprises linked to Spier – examples include a laundry and a transport company.
Art
Programmes
Since 1996, Spier has established various programmes aimed at stimulating the South African arts community.
The Spier Art Collection is one of the most comprehensive collections of contemporary South African art in the country. It is curated around Spier’s focus on environmental and social responsibility. In addition to acquiring works from artists’ studios, galleries and auctions, the Spier Collection also commissions large-scale pieces from selected artists, such as Paul Emanuel and Birco Wilsenach.
The Creative Block project invites artists, both established and emerging, to create work on a small block. The blocks are submitted to the Spier Arts Academy for selection. Collectors then choose a number of blocks and hang them together, building an artwork that has the potential to be greater than the sum of its parts. Creative Block offers artists an important revenue stream. Artists can submit up to five blocks per month and if selected they get paid for them immediately. For many artists, this income covers their basic expenses and enables them to continue operating as full-time artists.
The Spier Arts Academy provides emerging artists from impoverished backgrounds with quality training in mosaic art and other training – empowering them with the necessary artistic and business skills to run their own businesses successfully.
The Spier Public Arts Festival: Infecting the City is a festival of provocative, site-specific performance works, presented by the Africa Centre in central Cape Town. It pushes the boundaries of performance and festival programming, and engages a broad spectrum of people. In 2014, the festival will also be produced in Mbombela.
Spier Films operates in the production, world sales, financing and distribution sectors of the film industry. Spier has produced the groundbreaking films U-Carmen eKayelitsha (Golden Bear winner at the 2005 Berlinale) and Son of Man (official selection Sundance Film Festival 2006).
Partnerships
Spier supports both the Association For Visual Arts (AVA), one of Cape Town’s oldest non-profit art galleries showcasing contemporary South African art, and the Africa Centre, a Section 21 company dedicated to the arts, culture, and heritage of the African continent.
References
- ↑ Fairbridge, Dorothea (1922). Historic houses of South Africa. London: H. Milford, Oxford university press. pp. 114–117.
Coordinates: 33°58′23″S 18°46′56″E / 33.97306°S 18.78222°E