Spier Wine Farm
Encyclopedia
Spier is a wine farm situated in the Stellenbosch region approximately 50km from Cape Town, South Africa. The farm has enjoyed a long history which dates back to 1692 when the first free burghers trekked from the Cape colony to establish farms in this region. As one of the oldest farms in the region, it has long been noted for its cultural and historical significance particularly of its architecture. The farm buildings bear twenty one Cape Dutch Gables, more than any other farm in the area. This particular architectural style known as Cape Dutch architecture
is based on styles from medieval Europe and is unique to South Africa and in particular, the Western Cape. Wine production and sales as well as leisure activities are the core business activities on the farm today and the farm has become well known for its sustainability initiatives.
Location: R310 Baden Powell Rd, Stellenbosch 7603, South Africa
The history of the farm itself can be traced back to the founding of Stellenbosch. According to historians , Simon van der Stel
, the Dutch East India Company’s first governor of the Cape of Good Hope, opened the valley in 1679 and named it after himself and the wilde bosch (wild forest) which grew in the area. The valley’s conditions were ideal for vineyard cultivation: fertile soils, favourable climate and sufficient water supply.
Farmers vied for land along the Eerste river so named as it was the first river encountered by the pioneers as they left the expanding colony now known as Cape Town. By 1683 there were over 30 families settled along the banks of the river. Due to disputes between farmers, particularly over water rights, a magistrate was posted to the area, the farms were properly surveyed and the first grants were issued in 1692.
The first recorded owner of Spier was Arnoud (or Aarnout) Jansz, a German soldier in the service of the Dutch East India Company. Jansz planted the farm’s first vines, approximately 200 in number, as well as farmed grain and livestock. Jansz made his first wine in 1700.
Hans Heinrich Hattingh purchased the farm in 1712 and it is thought that he named the farm Spier after the town of Speyer in Germany where he originated. However, evidence points to the possibility that the name was already in use when Hattingh took ownership, and that it could have derived from the Dutch word for “marsh of bulrushes”. By this time, the farm was producing wine from approximately 12,000 vines. Predominantly thought to be from Muscat grapes. The wine would be shipped in large barrels to the Cape of Good Hope by horse and cart, a full day’s journey.
By 1754, the farm was owned by Johan Bernard and the number of vines on the estate had grown to over 30,000.
Spier’s next owner was, Albertus Myburgh, who owned the property between 1765 and 1781. His descendants still own the neighbouring Meerlust estate. Myburgh built the famous old wine cellar bearing the date 1767.
In 1781 the farm was bought by Andries Christoffel van der Byl and remained in the hands of the van der Byl family for 150 years until 1918. Van der Byl is believed to have built the winged central gable on the slave quarters (now housing Moyo’s restaurant operations) as well as the Manor House on the site of the original farmhouse.
From 1918 the owners included a Mr Cartwright (1918-1935), Mr C T Rhodes (1935-1945) and a Mr Keppel (1945 -1965). The next owner, Niel Joubert, purchased Spier in 1965.
At that time, Joubert, as with most wine farmers in the area, had been making wine for the larger co-operative wineries, such as the Stellenbosch Farmers Winery and the KWV, who would then bottle the product for selling. However, in 1971, Spier began bottling its own. The first bottling produced a batch of 10,000 bottles. Joubert, together with Frans Malan from Simonsig and Spatz Sperling from Delheim was instrumental in establishing the Stellenbosch Wine Route which has become world renowned.
In 1993 the farm was purchased by Dick Enthoven who started a program to renovate and preserve the farms historic buildings. Particular attention was paid to the gables, which are architecturally renowned.
“Of all Cape Dutch farms in the Cape, most of them with their own centre and end gables, it is Spier that boasts the greatest number of them: 21 in total, all beautifully preserved.”
—Architectural historian Dr Hans Fransen (Ph.D. Natal, D.Phil. h.c. Stell.)
The dwellings built by the early settlers in the Cape were simple; usually with no foundations, at most three rooms in a row with thatched roofs steeply pitched and supported by rafters. Walls, which consisted of thick rubble, clay or later sun-baked bricks, were protected by a layer of rough plaster and lime wash.
Later, when the farmers became more prosperous, additional rooms were built, and gables were added to adorn buildings. While the gables of the historic Cape Dutch buildings derived their inspiration from the medieval towns of the Netherlands, it was at the Cape that the decorative gable reached its fullest flowering. The gables were mostly built by slaves, many of whom were skilled builders and craftsmen from the East.
2010. Spier’s wines are created within three primary ranges: Spier Signature; Spier 21 Gables; and Spier Creative Block. Spier’s flagship wine, Frans K. Smit has been named after the Cellar Master. The cellar is ISO 22000 certified, fair trade accredited, organically certified and follows the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) criteria
Cape Dutch architecture
-Introduction:Cape Dutch architecture is an architectural style found in the Western Cape of South Africa. The style was prominent in the early days of the Cape Colony, and the name derives from the fact that the initial settlers of the Cape were primarily Dutch...
is based on styles from medieval Europe and is unique to South Africa and in particular, the Western Cape. Wine production and sales as well as leisure activities are the core business activities on the farm today and the farm has become well known for its sustainability initiatives.
Location: R310 Baden Powell Rd, Stellenbosch 7603, South Africa
History
The land that forms the farm called Spier is thought to have been inhabited by humans as far back as the Early Stone Age. It was later inhabited by the Khoisan—a group including the hunter-gather San and the herding Khoikhoi.The history of the farm itself can be traced back to the founding of Stellenbosch. According to historians , Simon van der Stel
Simon van der Stel
Simon van der Stel was the last Commander and first Governor of the Cape Colony, the Dutch settlement at the Cape of Good Hope in South Africa.-Background:...
, the Dutch East India Company’s first governor of the Cape of Good Hope, opened the valley in 1679 and named it after himself and the wilde bosch (wild forest) which grew in the area. The valley’s conditions were ideal for vineyard cultivation: fertile soils, favourable climate and sufficient water supply.
Farmers vied for land along the Eerste river so named as it was the first river encountered by the pioneers as they left the expanding colony now known as Cape Town. By 1683 there were over 30 families settled along the banks of the river. Due to disputes between farmers, particularly over water rights, a magistrate was posted to the area, the farms were properly surveyed and the first grants were issued in 1692.
The first recorded owner of Spier was Arnoud (or Aarnout) Jansz, a German soldier in the service of the Dutch East India Company. Jansz planted the farm’s first vines, approximately 200 in number, as well as farmed grain and livestock. Jansz made his first wine in 1700.
Hans Heinrich Hattingh purchased the farm in 1712 and it is thought that he named the farm Spier after the town of Speyer in Germany where he originated. However, evidence points to the possibility that the name was already in use when Hattingh took ownership, and that it could have derived from the Dutch word for “marsh of bulrushes”. By this time, the farm was producing wine from approximately 12,000 vines. Predominantly thought to be from Muscat grapes. The wine would be shipped in large barrels to the Cape of Good Hope by horse and cart, a full day’s journey.
By 1754, the farm was owned by Johan Bernard and the number of vines on the estate had grown to over 30,000.
Spier’s next owner was, Albertus Myburgh, who owned the property between 1765 and 1781. His descendants still own the neighbouring Meerlust estate. Myburgh built the famous old wine cellar bearing the date 1767.
In 1781 the farm was bought by Andries Christoffel van der Byl and remained in the hands of the van der Byl family for 150 years until 1918. Van der Byl is believed to have built the winged central gable on the slave quarters (now housing Moyo’s restaurant operations) as well as the Manor House on the site of the original farmhouse.
From 1918 the owners included a Mr Cartwright (1918-1935), Mr C T Rhodes (1935-1945) and a Mr Keppel (1945 -1965). The next owner, Niel Joubert, purchased Spier in 1965.
At that time, Joubert, as with most wine farmers in the area, had been making wine for the larger co-operative wineries, such as the Stellenbosch Farmers Winery and the KWV, who would then bottle the product for selling. However, in 1971, Spier began bottling its own. The first bottling produced a batch of 10,000 bottles. Joubert, together with Frans Malan from Simonsig and Spatz Sperling from Delheim was instrumental in establishing the Stellenbosch Wine Route which has become world renowned.
In 1993 the farm was purchased by Dick Enthoven who started a program to renovate and preserve the farms historic buildings. Particular attention was paid to the gables, which are architecturally renowned.
Cape Dutch Gables
Today the wine farm has a large collection of Cape Dutch gables; 21 in total.“Of all Cape Dutch farms in the Cape, most of them with their own centre and end gables, it is Spier that boasts the greatest number of them: 21 in total, all beautifully preserved.”
—Architectural historian Dr Hans Fransen (Ph.D. Natal, D.Phil. h.c. Stell.)
The dwellings built by the early settlers in the Cape were simple; usually with no foundations, at most three rooms in a row with thatched roofs steeply pitched and supported by rafters. Walls, which consisted of thick rubble, clay or later sun-baked bricks, were protected by a layer of rough plaster and lime wash.
Later, when the farmers became more prosperous, additional rooms were built, and gables were added to adorn buildings. While the gables of the historic Cape Dutch buildings derived their inspiration from the medieval towns of the Netherlands, it was at the Cape that the decorative gable reached its fullest flowering. The gables were mostly built by slaves, many of whom were skilled builders and craftsmen from the East.
Location of the Gables
The gables are found in six buildings across the farm namely the Wine Cellar (3), the Manor House(4), the Jonkershuis (3), the Workshop(5) the Slave Quarters (3) and the Stables (3). The gables and buildings span a 60 year architectural history with the earliest gables on the Wine Cellar dating to 1767 and the latest on the Manor House dating to 1822. They include various gable styles including early holbol, late holbol and neo classical.Wine Making and Wine Ranges
Wine making has continued at Spier and it has a wide range of award winning wines. Spier was South Africa’s top performer at the Concours Mondial de BruxellesConcours Mondial de Bruxelles
Concours Mondial de Bruxelles created in 1994, labeled the “wine world-championship” with 6000 participating products from the four continents, these samples represent more than 500 million marketed bottles...
2010. Spier’s wines are created within three primary ranges: Spier Signature; Spier 21 Gables; and Spier Creative Block. Spier’s flagship wine, Frans K. Smit has been named after the Cellar Master. The cellar is ISO 22000 certified, fair trade accredited, organically certified and follows the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) criteria