“Wine is like rain ... when it strikes the good soil wakes it to beauty and bloom.” John Hay, “Distichs,” 1871

The making of a truly great wine, some say, comes down to one thing and that is terroir. It’s about letting the earth, sun, water and grape do the talking. And, if we put it that way, the terroir at Welgegund is eloquent.

Estate owner, Alex Camerer remembers that when he first bought the farm some 25 years ago, the local community congratulated him on buying the farm that was capable of growing the best grapes in the area.

It’s the synergy of the elements at Welgegund that combine to such fertile effects. The soil reveals the right ingredients in its bedrock; the altitude range in the hills and valleys of the Hawequa mountains is perfect, the rainfall averages at 860mm and then there’s the north-easterly wind that blows conveniently through the Bainskloof gap!

The large variety of cultivars on the farm (Pinotage, Merlot, Cinsaut, Carignan, Shiraz, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Viognier and Grenache) is testimony to its varying micro climates. Welgegund is also one of only a few farms in South Africa to produce Carignan, an ancient Mediterranean red grape varietal of Spanish origin. It is the Camerer’s dedication to the vine that has elevated Welgegund from a volume producer to the Co-op to a boutique winery, giving cognisance to Wellington’s suitability for Mediterranean cultivars.

If wine expresses the character from which it grows, Welgegund can best be described as intriguing, robust and authentic.