Capensis
The Capensis estate vineyard, Fijnbosch (“fin-BOSCH”), was named after the Dutch settlers’ term for the natural vegetation in the area - meaning “fine bush” or “fine woods.” The nearly 20 acres of Chardonnay are planted in clay soils on the high-elevation, steep terrain of the Groot Drakenstein mountains in the Banghoek Valley.
In the late 1980s, when the certified Chardonnay clones became available in South Africa, the high-elevation Fijnbosch Vineyard was established in Stellenbosch. The granitic and sandstone soils offer good drainage for deep rooting, yet the clay content is high enough to provide water retention. The Fijnbosch Vineyard fruit brings refinement, structure and acidity to Capensis and lends pronounced citrus notes.
Wine tastings are hosted at Kliphuis, meaning “stone house” in Afrikaans, located on Fijnbosch Farm. Completed in 2021, Kliphuis utilizes materials from the farm in its design, including stone and invasive timber sourced from the land. As a new home for Capensis in Stellenbosch, the space reflects the winery’s long-term commitment, vision for growth, and ongoing investment in the Western Cape and winegrowing community.
Winemaker Graham Weerts is a Cape Town native, where he spent his childhood and the early part of his winemaking career. It was almost inevitable that Graham would pursue winemaking. It’s a career that draws upon his agricultural heritage and love of the outdoors, while also offering creative outlets and an intellectual challenge. To him, no other product that humans make offers the complexities and artistic value of wine. It unites people of all cultures. As Graham likes to say, “few wars were started over a great bottle of wine.”