Bosman

Hug a winemaker    26 - 01 - 2015

Harvest is under way and there is never a shortage of action during this festive time. We started 2-3 weeks earlier than usual with the first grapes arriving at the cellar on Friday the 9th of January.

This year’s growing season has been pleasingly dry and consistently warm, hence the steady and earlier ripening of the grapes. Let’s just say that we snapped out of our holiday mode fairly quickly! At this stage of the game 2015 promises to be a great vintage.

The rich history of Bosman Family Vineyards is a testament to the family’s commitment to people, the land, and of course, the art of wine-making.

The Lelienfontein Estate, originally issued to French Huguenot, Philip de Royan in 1699 by then-Governor, Willem Adriaan van der Stel, was settled by the first generation of the family in 1798. The family’s first ancestor, Hermanus Bosman, was a sieketrooster (caregiver) who worked in the Cape and played a central role in community development and social upliftment. Bosman lived by the motto of the family crest: ‘faith, hope and love.’ His progressive thinking, desire to help his fellow man, and deep respect for the harmony of nature informed everything he did, and shaped the both the future of the farm and the generations who followed.

The Lelienfontein Estate produced wine up until 1957, when the family turned their focus to their vine nursery. In 2007, the Bosmans returned to the long-held family tradition and released the first wines from their newly renovated 260-year-old cellar.

Today, the descendants of Hermanus Bosman are proud custodians of both his land and his legacy, devoted to responsible, handcrafted winemaking.

With a long history and proud heritage, Bosman Family Vineyards are deeply committed to fusing the old with the new, as they combine long-established tradition with cutting-edge innovation.

A dedication to quality means that everything from the grafting of the vines to the picking of the grapes is done by hand. The processes are slow and meticulous, requiring minimal intervention and ensuring that the quality of the fruit is prioritised at all times.  High density planting with 8000 vines per hectare further improves grape quality, while the Bosman’s expertise in vine growing allows for ultimate control from vine to wine.

But the Bosman family is committed to more than just wine. Instilled with a deep respect for both man and nature, they have long believed in and implemented social, economic and environmental practices that develop the community and promote sustainable farming. The relationship between the family and their team is evident in the fact that many of the 260 full-time workers on the estate are 5th generation families that have as deep a passion for winemaking as the Bosmans themselves. With an ownership of a full 26% of the business, a solid skills transfer system and numerous social projects, the workers are invested in every aspect of Bosman Family Vineyards.

In 2009, the Bosmans’ ethical and sustainable methods of producing and trading their wine received official Fairtrade certification. In 2008, a landmark joint venture between Bosman Family Vineyards and the Adama Workers Trust saw the formation of the biggest Black Economic Empowerment deal in the wine industry to date, with eligible workers receiving co-ownership of 430ha of prime farming land.

The Bosman family’s original 18th century cellar was lovingly and carefully restored in 2006, preserving much of the original features of the cellar in the renovation. The family’s rich heritage is evident in the beautiful walls of the old kraal, the open cement fermentation tanks, the roof structures and the thick original cellar walls. The old production cellar makes the perfect tasting room, while the original open fermentation tanks host the vinotheque. To ensure personal attention and a customised experience, wine tastings are by appointment only.