There is nothing more glorious than a fine winter’s day in the Cape. Although I’ve been feeling a little sorry for myself with a broken humerus, which necessitated some unexpected surgery and delayed our trip to Australia to meet our first grandchild, a gentle walk around the farm with Bobby and the dogs reminded me just how lucky we are.  Whilst the early morning temperatures are down to 3 to 5°C, there are signs everywhere that spring is fast approaching.

In the vineyard, our team has been replacing broken trellis poles, restraining wires, and marking out new vineyard blocks. Yes, the Wallaces are counter-balancing the proliferation of Elgin Chardonnay and Pinot Noir vineyards by planting Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Franc, but that’s a whole other story to be kept for a future newsletter. The pruning and rejuvenation of existing vineyards is all but complete. The next prickly job will be to prune all the roses.

Our mixture of cover crops is growing prolifically, our new geese are settling in nicely, and the Proteas and Leucospernums are pushing out an abundance of new buds. In the cellar, the 2025 wines are shaping up beautifully.

In June, the prestigious National Wine Challenge awarded both the Paul Wallace Little Flirt Sauvignon Blanc 2024 and the Brave Heart Pinot Noir 2022 Double Platinum status, ranking them among the Top 100 SA Wines. The Reflection Chardonnay 2023 came in with a solid Double Gold.

The 2025 Sauvignon Blanc, every bit as delicious as the 2024, has been available since early August, along with the vibrant and fruit-forward Brave Heart Pinot Noir. Both wines are the perfect way to welcome spring.

Following hard on the heels of these accolades, Bobby’s 2023 Off The Record Chenin Blanc earned him a place among the Top 10 Winemakers at the iToo Next Generation Awards in partnership with WineMag. The whole family was beaming with pride and deservedly so.

A quick reminder of the benefits of joining our Wine Club. All you need to do is commit to 12 bottles of wine, hand-selected by us, delivered to your door twice a year. In return, you will receive:

• 15 percent discount on all wine purchases and accommodation in our self-catering cottages

• Invitations to private tastings

• Advance access to new releases

• The opportunity to purchase curated collections of archived stock

Thank you, as always, for being part of our journey. Whether you are enjoying the last of winter or already feeling the stirrings of spring, we hope to share a glass with you soon – on the farm, at an event, or from afar.

Warm wishes,

Nicky Wallace