Ken Forrester Wines

Scholtzenhof, one of the very oldest wine farms in the Cape, was originally granted as Zandberg in 1689. Just ten years after Stellenbosch was founded, the original land, 64 morgen, was given by Governor Simon van der Stel to Frederick Boot, of Gotha (near Wagenheim in Germany), who later changed his name to Botha. History tells us this Botha is the forefather of that illustrious family of Presidents, first of the Free State Republic and more recently the old Republic of South Africa. Mr Boot was a colourful character, a soldier who had completed his contract and hence a 'free burger.' He established the first documented agricultural partnership in the Cape with Jan Cornelisz (Jan Bombam) and fathered no fewer than eight children - out of wedlock, which earned him and his mistress banishment to Mauritius for 10 years!

 

In 1694 Frederick Botha planted his first vines and the construction of the house began that same year. In 1833 another German family by the name of Scholtz took residence here, they changed the name to Scholtzenhof, and grew vines and farmed happily here for almost 100 years, then a succession of owners took up residence and the property fell on hard times in the early 1990's prior to the release of Mandela and the first democratic elections. In 1993 the Forrester family came to the rescue, restoring the 17th century homestead, replanting the vines and developing wines of quality. In 1994 the first wines were produced under the Ken Forrester label, and soon the award-winning wines were at the forefront of the Chenin Blanc revival. The grapes are sourced from vineyards - some of them more than 30 years old - in the cool Helderberg region of Stellenbosch.

For the last 100 years or so, quality grapes have been delivered to De Helderberg Co-op, but in 1994 we pressed a small quantity of our Sauvignon Blanc grapes. In 1995 we added a partially wood fermented Chenin Blanc to the range. Not just a fruity, upfront, happy, quaffing wine - we specifically endeavour to produce Chenin Blanc to stand a class apart, in a different style, definately a great accompaniment to fine food. A wine of complex structure and discernible character, from our 30 year old vines. We harvested full-ripe grapes and after pressing, almost half of the juice was fermented in new and second fill oak barrels and left on the secondary lees to add complexity, before being blended back with the unwooded Chenin. The result, a very individual, sturdy food wine with deep moulded character, unmistakably Chenin Blanc, but unique in style. 

 

This, we believe, will be the sort of style, full bodied, fully ripe, well developed food wines that we can produce from our mature vineyards at Scholtzenhof. Then in 1996, we added a blend unique in South Africa, Grenache and Syrah. The Grenache being the only vineyard in Stellenbosch and planted in 1953. (almost 50 years old!) Again, an individual style of wine unique to the Ken Forrester range. The farm is 40 hectares and roughly 36 hectares of that is under vine. The following grape varietals are on the farm; Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Merlot, Grenache, Mourvedre, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.