Overgaauw Wine Estate
The outstanding wines produced by this unique family run farm in the Stellenbosch Kloof Valley are a testament to years of passion put into this estate of 90 hectares. Overgaauw was founded in 1905 by Abraham Van Velden and named after his maternal grandmother Elizabeth Overgaauw. The cellar was built four years later in 1909 and today still forms part of the cornerstone of the Estate. There is a sense of tradition and history that you feel almost from the very second you walk into the tasting room. Pictures of bygone days and generations or Van Veldens adorn the walls almost looking down on the wines of today.
Overgaauw is proud of being at the forefront of the wine industry in South Africa:
- 1970 First to produce Cinsaut
- 1970 One of the first to mature Cabernet Sauvignon in French barriques
- 1971 First and still the only producer of Sylvaner
- 1979 First Bordeaux blend, Tria Corda
- 1982 First wine estate to bottle a single varietal Merlot
- 1984 Braam Van Velden was a founder member of Cape Wine Makers Guild
- First wine estate to plant Portuguese Port varietals
David Van Velden is the current custodian of the Overgaauw Legacy and became the 4th generation winemaker in 2007. David states “my philosophy in winemaking starts with meticulous vineyard management. Whilst the cellar is a source of great pride, ultimately, we believe that great wine is made in the vineyard. This means that we make wines best suited to the terroir, by applying practices to maintain the natural balance in the soil and assisting the vines to produce the best fruit the site and vintage has to offer. The focus for each vintage is retaining the various cultivars unique to the Overgaauw identity, with minimal cellar manipulation and the judicious use of wood. At Overgaauw, our enduring focus is to express a sense of place in all our wines and to increase the purity and accuracy of fruit in every bottle. This is what our unique terroir deserves and I know it’s what the three generations before me would have expected as well”
David is immensely proud to be continuing a line of winemaking pioneers with a sense of respect for the land and ancestry deeply ingrained in his DNA. This heritage of 110 years of Van Velden winemaking has stood David in good stead.
The emphasis on making the best quality wines possible and showcasing the terroir means future vintages look to be in very safe hands as David looks to enhance the Overgaauw legacy even further.