Knolfontein

For five generations already the Du Toit family has called Knolfontein home. The farm lies in the Riebeek Valley, at the foothills of the famous Kasteelberg.

05/06/2026

Winter is one of the most important seasons on a wine farm.

While the vines rest, Pieter and his team are hard at work in the vineyards, making decisions that will shape next season's crop long before the first signs of growth appear.

Wine farming teaches patience. The choices made today may only reveal their true value months, or even years, from now.

01/06/2026

For five generations, the Du Toit family has farmed grapes on Knolfontein. Some things have changed. Some haven't. The vines still need rain. The soil still needs care. And farming still has a way of keeping you humble.

So here's a question for you: If you could ask a fifth-generation grape farmer one question, what would it be?

Would you ask about drought?
About old vines?
About farming in the Swartland?
About why certain vineyards thrive while others struggle?
About what has changed most in the last 100 years?
Or simply what keeps him passionate about the land after all these years?

Leave your question in the comments and Pieter will answer a few of them himself.

👇 Over to you.

26/05/2026

Shiraz has found a natural home in the Swartland. The region's warm, dry summers encourage slow ripening, building concentration and depth while retaining the savoury spice and structure that make the variety so compelling at the table.

As the days grow colder, it's the bottle that seems to suit the season instinctively. Think slow-cooked lamb shoulder, beef short ribs, or a pot of something simmering gently on the stove all afternoon. The wine's dark fruit, peppery notes and firm tannins bring warmth and character without overwhelming the food beside it.

At Knolfontein, our Shiraz is best enjoyed much like the Swartland itself - unhurried, around a fire, and in the company of people with nowhere else to be.

Visit us on Saturdays for a by-appointment tasting with Pieter, or explore the range online.

20/05/2026

The Riebeek Valley has quietly become one of the most relaxed and unpretentious wine tasting destinations in the Cape - less polished “wine route theatre”, more real farms, good wine, olive groves, long lunches, and proper Swartland hospitality.

The valley’s tasting culture leans far more toward conversation, landscape, and hospitality than high-volume tourism.

On Saturdays, guests visiting Knolfontein are welcomed by Pieter himself for by-appointment tastings (076 834 3017), where the wines are enjoyed slowly alongside stories of the farm, the family, and the Swartland landscape that shapes every bottle.

Because in the Riebeek Valley, the best tastings are rarely the hurried ones.

08/05/2026

Cinsaut has always suited the Swartland. Warm days, dry conditions and old bush vines produce wines with freshness rather than weight - bright red fruit, fine spice, gentle tannins and the kind of acidity that keeps you reaching for another glass.

As the weather cools, it comes into its own alongside slower, winter-style cooking. Think lamb bredie, mushroom risotto, roasted vegetables or anything touched by smoke and fire. The freshness lifts richer dishes, while the savoury character still feels perfectly at home on a cold evening.

At Knolfontein, our Cinsaut is best enjoyed the same way the Swartland lives - slowly, generously, and around a proper table.

Visit us on Saturdays for a by-appointment tasting with Pieter, or explore the range online.

01/05/2026

There’s a certain stillness to a Saturday afternoon on the farm.

No rush. No noise. Just the sound of gravel underfoot, a glass being poured, and conversation that finds its own pace.

Pieter hosts every tasting himself - not as a performance, but as a continuation of the work done in the vineyard. From the courtyard to the cellar, each wine carries a part of that story.

It’s not about tasting more. It’s about understanding better. Saturdays. By appointment: 0768343017

21/04/2026

Shiraz in the Swartland can easily become a statement.

At Knolfontein, it’s more of a study.

Tannins are the focus - not their presence, but their shape. Fine, structured, and integrated early, so they support the wine rather than sit apart from it. Extraction is measured. Oak is there to hold, not to speak.

The result is a Shiraz that doesn’t rely on weight or sweetness of fruit, but on balance - a wine that builds quietly, and finishes clean.

13/04/2026

The light changes first. Softer. Lower. Lingering a little longer on the vineyards before it slips behind the hills.

April in the Swartland marks a quiet transition - the last warmth of summer still holding, but the pace beginning to slow.

In the vineyard, the rhythm shifts. In the glass, it all comes together. A time for wines with a bit more depth. Something worth sitting with.

Knolfontein tastings take place on Saturdays, by appointment.

03/04/2026

Easter finds its rhythm in the Swartland.

Long lunches. Slower evenings. Food prepared with care, and time enough to let it unfold.

Chenin Blanc with roast chicken or linefish, bright with lemon and herbs. Cinsaut with something simple - lamb, or a table of vegetables shared without hurry. And Shiraz, for later - when the evening settles.

Order online, or join us for a Saturday tasting

24/03/2026

It starts with the table. What’s cooking, who’s coming, and which bottle gets opened first.

Chenin Blanc finds its place alongside a generous roast chicken or linefish, something bright with lemon and herbs. Cinsaut leans into lighter fare - think lamb, served simply, or a table of seasonal vegetables. And Shiraz, with its depth and quiet structure, calls for something richer - slow-cooked cuts, a glaze, a dish that’s had time to come together.

Shop the range online and have Knolfontein delivered to your door ahead of the Easter long weekend: https://knolfonteinwines.co.za/shop/

Address

Knolfontein Farm, Station Road
Riebeek-Wes
7306

Website

https://knolfonteinwines.co.za/

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