Swartland Winery Founders Pinotage 2022

Big open skies, arid deserts, the vast flowing landscape, with its unforgiving climate and rugged bush vines, this is wild country, this is Swartland. The contrast with manicured Constantia and oh-so-cool Stellenbosch couldn't be greater.

But right now, Swartland is the most exciting wine region in South Africa. A new wave of winemakers are making ground-breaking wines from Rhône varietals in part of a revolution that has caught the attention of the wine critics.

On the vast, flowing landscape of the Swartland with its warm, dry climate, the older bush vines come into their own. With such depth and complexity, they are the inspiration for the unique Bush Vine range and an absolute expression of terroir.

From the carefully selected vineyards in Paardeburg, to the Rhône style varietals grown in Babylon's Peak, minimal intervention and environmentally friendly farming practices are paramount. Sowing cover crops between the vines provides protection from the winter rains and also maintains the valuable mineral content, nutrients and moisture during the hot summers.

80% of the vineyards are small bush vines with an average yield is six tonnes per hectare; the quality of fruit is exceptional. The wines created here are truly expressive of pure origin and the vibrant terroir from which they hail.