“My philosophy is to create great single vineyard wines from unique soil, climate and location. It’s the soil with all the microbes, cycle of elements and the help of living organisms that create the heartbeat for my vines. The vineyards location in relation to the sun and wind direction, as well as a holistically favourable climate, influences the expression of each block.”
Our Wines
All my Single Vineyard Wines are made with minimal interference throughout the vinification. During fermentation natural yeasts are used with no enzymes. Maturation takes place in neutral vessels to bring through the unique vineyard characteristics, that’s specific to the site.
The handcrafted approach by human nature helps to add to the final balance of this unique product
Accommodation
Arendsig Wine Farm offers accommodation in 4 well-equipped, self-catering farm cottages. The cottages are situated between the Single Vineyard Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon vineyards, 100m from the Breede River. This tranquil setting makes for the ideal weekend get-away or family holiday – only 155km from Cape Town.
Weddings & Functions
Arendsig is the perfect venue to accommodate your dream wedding.
“All of my single vineyard blocks are terroir driven”
My journey since 2004
About Lourens van der Westhuizen
“This family owned farm is where I grew up, where memories were made and the seed to future prospects planted. Barefoot, playing on my imaginary farm in my mom’s garden sent me on my imaginative journey that culminated in what Arendsig is today.”
After finishing High School in Robertson, I enrolled at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology to study Agriculture. The course included a year and a half of studies at Elsenburg Agricultural College in Stellenbosch. It was at Elsenburg that I was exposed to vineyard practices and winemaking which ignited my passion and love for what I can now call my own business and occupation. A custodian of the earth I am blessed to farm, grow the grapes and turn my passion into wine. After I completed my studies I travelled to America and worked in Santa Rosa, California, making up small parcels of wine with my hands on approach, Several years later I made the same trip through Burgundy and Champagne in France.
The more one sees and experiences, the more a person can learn. Different people, different cultures all enjoying good food and excellent wine and simply enjoying and living life to the fullest .. well that’s part of my venture . We must live this life with a passion because life is a journey and the destination is what we make of it.
I was one of the more fortunate people in that I could return to our family farm as a fifth generation farmer. I decided to make it a challenge and became the first generation winemaker to make his own wine on this farm. The year 2004 was the beginning of new and better things. My dad, Frikkie van der Westhuizen, permitted me to select small parcels of grapes from his old Shiraz and Chardonnay vineyards. This gave me the opportunity to begin Arendsig Handcrafted wines. In the very same year my dad gave me an untouched part of the farm – on the slopes (all virgin soils). We worked for 4 months to prepare these soils, we knew this would be the future of Arendsig wines.
There was no soil but rocks!!!! Our goal was to make single vineyard wines, from single vineyards of exceptional quality. My own wines are all from one specific Block and are expressed by the Terrior.
Arendsig Single Vineyard Wines Terroir
Climate
My vines are planted East to West, +/- 50 meters above the Breede River, 25 km from Robertson, close to Bonnivale and 50 minutes drive from the most Southern Point of Africa, Augulas. The Sauvignon Blanc (0.5Ha) and Chardonnay (3 Ha) Blocks are located on the morning slope side. The Shiraz (3 Ha), Cabernet Sauvignon (3 Ha) and Viognier (1000 routes of vines) are located more towards the afternoon sun side.