One farm - one grape - 7 wines!
#beinwine #merlot #proudlystellenbosch #stellenboschwineroute #capewinelands #winetasting #passionatewinemaker #harvest2024
One day sitting by a pool in Robertson we were introduced to a winery on the outskirts of Stellenbosch.
To be fair we are told about many different places -so why did we decide to investigate this recommendation further?
The answer to that is at Bein Merlot Wine they only grow one variety of grapes and are the smallest wine farm in the Cape. So straight away we realised this was worth a visit.
The Swiss owners Luca and Ingrid Bein bought the farm in the 1990s - they were both in veterinary practice in Switzerland and decided they would like a career change - so they found themselves at Stellenbosch University studying oenology and viticulture!
The land they purchased is situated on the cooler southern slopes of Stellenbosch's Polkadraai Hills and is blessed with deep and highly weathered granite soils. The climate is Mediterranean with dry, sunny summers and sufficient rainfall in winter. The proximity to the coast, with its beautiful panoramic view over False Bay ensures an always refreshing breeze and sufficient air humidity.
The couple do nearly everything themselves with just the help of one permanent member of staff (Johannes October) who has been with them from the onset. During harvest time they get help from the same core team which is complemented now and then by new faces!
There are 7 different merlots in the Bien range - 1 Cap Classique, 1 rose, 4 reds and 1 fortified dessert wine.
We visited the vineyard on a sunny Saturday afternoon and we had a lovely couple of hours with theIngrid and Luca finding out about them and their wines.
These Merlots are superb and we are going to stock 3 of their reds. Hopefully, they should be available once our shipment arrives in the UK next month.