Nothing before, maybe? Like, start of creation?
Learn something new every day. 15 to 20 mins away and never heard of
Amidst the lush oaks, you’ll see a small sign letting you know that the experimental cellar of Agricultural Research Council (ARC) Infruitec-Nietvoorbij is at the end of the road. Whilst its winemakers are focused on research first, it turns out that wines have emerged with great ratings; one being the Nietvoorbij Pinotage 1999 with 4 stars.
One of the winemakers, Oom Kous has been here since 1970 and has a wealth of winemaking experience. Cellar master Adéle Louw has her Honours in oenology from Stellenbosch University and after joining Kous Theart in 1997, produced her first vintage a year later.
Labour is split between the commercial wines (which Oom Kous handles) and the experimental wines of Adéle’s. She vinifies produce from farms between Upington, Stellenbosch and Elim. Once they grapes arrive at her cellar, she morphs into all into wine. They began selling wines to make more money given the decrease in state funding which they experience with their fruit research sister Infruitec. Instead of just selling to staff, you can buy wines here from Monday to Friday. About 10 000 cases of wine is produced for sale including eight reds, five whites and a Port.