Thelema Mountain Vineyards

Thelema Mountain Vineyards Review

On the slopes of the Simonsberg, just off the Helshoogte Pass, this is an excellent example of the exciting developments in the Cape Winelands since the early 1980s, when farmers began to eye land that hadn't traditionally been earmarked for wine farming. When Gyles and Barbara Webb started the farm in 1983, there was nothing here but very good soil and old fruit trees. It's a testament to their efforts that the winery has regularly won prizes for both its reds and whites ever since. To cap it all off, the view of the Groot Drakenstein mountains from the tasting room is unforgettable. Ever the pioneers, the Webbs have also bought Sutherland, an old fruit farm (not open to the public) in the Elgin area, an exciting new wine-growing region at the top of Sir Lowry's Pass. They had brilliant crops from here in 2009; keep an eye out for their pinot noir and rousanne, which we'll see in a few years. Be sure to taste Ed's Reserve, a dry white named after the late, legendary Edna McLean, Barbara's mother, who originally bought the Thelema farm and in later years was a stalwart in the tasting room. Also try the Thelema Sutherland Sauvignon Blanc, with its lovely mineral, grassy qualities. The 2006 mint cabernet sauvignon comes from a single block that produces a distinctively minty wine. For obvious reasons, it's been dubbed "The Full Minty."