Product Description
The first settlers to cultivate the virgin land of the estate now known as Hartenberg were friends Cunraad Boin and Christoffel Esterhuizzen who were granted permission to work 60 morgen (20 ha) of the land in 1692. Even then the wine-bearing potential of the soil was recognised and one of the first tasks that the two partners undertook was the clearing of the land to plant 2000 vines. In 1704, Christoffel Esterhuizzen was granted the title deed to “Het Hartenberg” by Governer (Willem Adriaan van der Stel) and became the first official owner of the farm. By 1718, he had 10 000 vines on his property and produced four leggers of wine. The well-known elephant hunter, Paulus Keyser, bought Hartenberg in 1721 and continued the practice of vineyard cultivation and winemaking on the farm until he sold it to Jacob van Bochen in 1725. Van Bochen, a former accountant of the Dutch East India Company butchery and holder of the liquor retail monopoly, also bought Weltevrede adjoining Hartenberg. The two farms have remained a combined property, forming the Hartenberg estate as it is now. The main reason for the success of the Hartenberg winery is the simplicity with which the Mackenzie family runs the estate. Spread over 170 hectares today, the Hartenberg Estate plays an important role in biodiversity and wine initiatives in the region. One of the best features of the Hartenberg Estate is its underground cellar. Currently, it is the biggest private owned cellar in South Africa. Since the vineyards are located strategically in the northeastern slopes of the Bottelary Hills, the vines enjoy the maximum benefits of this region. The Mackenzie vision, though extremely ambitious, remains simple: to do whatever it takes to produce wines of outstanding quality.
Rich bright deep red in colour. It has a ripe, well-defined bouquet with blackberry, black olive, cedar and sandalwood. The palate is well-defined with plump black toasty fruit on the entry, good vibrant acidity and impressive structure towards the cedar-infused, fig-tinged finish.
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