When you think of the Winelands, the Stellenbosch-Franschhoek-Paarl triangle tends to be top of mind, but the Cape Wine Region in fact stretches almost across the province with Robertson included in the catchment area.
Polla van Wyk, Seeff’s licensee for the Robertson area says that the region offers an excellent alternative with stunning properties, as fertile as those of Stellenbosch, but at significantly lower prices. “You get much more bang for your buck here, despite being under two hour’s drive from Cape Town”, she says.
“No wonder then, that the area is beginning to catch the eye of upcountry buyers and also foreign investors, especially Germans”, she says. “It is not just the wine farms, but the broad selection, from fruit farms to horse stud farms and lifestyle farms”.
For the wine farm enthusiast, the area is a big attraction. It is part of the Route 62 Wine Route, the longest in the country and ranks amongst the leading wine regions of the world, boasting more than 50 wineries including well-known brands such as Graham Beck Wines, Rooiberg Winery and Van Loveren.
According to SAWIS (South Africa Wine Industry Information & Systems) data for 2015, the region boasted 48 million vines planted and produced 199,000 tonnes grapes.
“With the Breede River as a landmark, this very picturesque area has become a popular day-trip and weekend getaway”, says Van Wyk. There is now a calendar of year-round festivals including the very popular Whacky Wine Weekend and Wine on the River that attracts thousands to the area each year. It is also the starting point of the annual Breede River Canoe Marathon.
“It is also a very popular country destination for honeymooners and holiday makers from across the globe and many of the farms now have some kind of tourism offering. Farms with cottages and guest facilities along with restaurants and wine tasting is a popular choice for buyers”, she says.
Prices start from around R9.9m for a small wine estate and range to about R17m for a top winery and guest farm that is currently on the market. The estate is situated about 10km from the town at the base of the Kranskop Mountains with a stunning location and views.
The property is 14.721ha in extent, of which 8ha is arable. 2ha is currently under vine (Sauvignon Blanc) and a further 4ha is planted with Apricots, but is not currently in production. The grape production is managed by the neighbouring farm and there are no labourers on the farm.
The property boasts superb tourism infrastructure. This includes a winery with a restaurant and conference facilities with a fully equipped kitchen and bar. The original historic Cape Dutch manor house serves as a four-star guest house with five spacious luxury suites with private patios and a rim-flow swimming pool.
A second building houses a Spa and Guest House and includes three guest suites and a lounge. The spa has three treatment rooms, showers and a steam bath. There is also a three-bedroomed manager’s house with a study and swimming pool along with labourers’ cottages and two earth dams.
“The property and hospitality brand is well established and listed on all local and international marketing and booking sites. There are no land claims on the property and, it is well known and very popular and offers an excellent investment option”, concludes Van Wyk.