“Made
on honour”
For order
details or further information on the Springfield Estate Wines please contact
us at info@springfieldestate.com
or Tel: +27 (0)23 626 3661 | Fax: +27 (0)23 626 3664
Set
in the heart of the mountain-ringed Robertson Valley in South Africa's Western
Cape Province, Springfield Estate is a vibrant, family-run wine farm. It is
owned by the Bruwer family, fourth-generation wine farmers and ninth-generation
descendants of the Bruères, French Huguenots who came to South Africa from the
Loire in 1688 with bundles of vines under their arms.
The
farm itself is picturesque. A tree-lined dirt road meanders up to the cellar
complex which is flanked by a dam, complete with a small sailing boat and magnificent
views of the mountain range of McGregor and the Langeberg mountains behind Robertson.
A large number of Springbok, descendants of a herd brought down from Namibia
50 years ago, thrive on the
The
lime-rich soil on the estate ranges from extremely rocky to clay, with sandy
soil next to the Breede River where vineyards are protected against floods by
low dikes. The climate in this area can be harsh and extreme. The southeaster
blows the ocean air in from the Atlantic over 100 km away and this produces
variable summer temperatures of around
30 ºC during the day to 15 ºC and below at night. The lower lying vines, such
as those in the Sauvignon Blanc vineyards, are prone to frost during the growing
period and a low annual rainfall of around 200 mm means that controlled irrigation
is essential to relieve grape stress. These conditions are ideal for keeping
alive natural yeasts present on the grapes, and to ensure an abundance of organic
material in the vineyards.
The
present owners of Springfield, brother-and-sister team Abrie and Jeanette Bruwer,
are just as dynamic and enthusiastic as their ancestors and are prepared to
take risks to do what they love best – making wine. Assisted by a team
of dedicated workers, many of whom have been with the Bruwers for decades, winemaker
and viticulturist Abrie keeps a watchful eye on the vineyards and the wines.
Jeanette co-ordinates the marketing of the estate wines, and spends a great
deal of time travelling to promote Springfield both locally and abroad. Back
on the estate she is involved hands-on in everything from preparing the soil
for new plantings, to driving the fork-lift truck, if necessary. Together Abrie
and Jeanette bring a personal touch to the estate, while at the same time enjoying
complete control over how things are done.
The
real magic of Springfield lies in the bottles of hand-crafted wine it produces,
true gems of tradition, which offer both quality and individuality in keeping
with the estate's motto: from the grape to the bottle with care and passion.
estate,
habitually escaping into the vineyards to sample the fresh berries.
Springfield's
wines are found on the wine lists of most top hotels and restaurants and are
available in the trade at leading bottle stores and wine merchants. Current
export markets include the UK (http://www.bibendum-wine.co.uk/retail/producers/springfield),
Channel Islands, Canada, Sweden, Botswana, Namibia, Germany, Belgium, Austria,
Switzerland, the Netherlands, Hong Kong and Singapore.
