Vergenoegd Wine Estate is under new ownership

Probably best known for its famous flock of Indian Runner Ducks, Vergenoegd has been quietly making wine for hundreds of years (and to critical acclaim in recent decades) but this sleeping beauty has often been side-lined for the bigger and bolder farms on the Stellenbosch Wine Routes.

New German owner, Prof. Dr. Dr. Peter Loew, through his family office called LIVIA, is about to change that with an exciting contemporary vision for the farm that aims to give visitors a hand in the making of food and wine products, whilst also soaking up the historic surrounds and abundant bird life.

Managing Director, Peter Stuart, says the evolution of Vergenoegd will be a gradual one, “It has taken centuries to ‘grow’ this estate and we are sensitive to the heritage that comes with it. The buildings (including the Manor House dating back to 1773) needed restoration and we have set about doing that now, but visitors will already start enjoying some exciting new concepts. From 1 December 2015 we will start offering experiential elements to visitors as well as artisanal picnics. Over time we will also be making improvements to the cellar and hope to take our farming to brave new places, using natural methods, solar power and careful water management. By 2017, the farm will also boast a farm-to-fork style restaurant.”

The experiences Stuart refers to are blending sessions, carefully designed to give visitors insight into the origins and complexity of ingredients such as coffee, tea, wine and olive oil, all grown in Africa. At the end of an experience, the visitor receives their packaged and personally labelled bespoke blend and can in fact order it again, any time into the future.