Vineyard Connection

The Wineshop

Discover exceptional wines

Nestled in the heart of Stellenbosch, our craft-boutique wine shop offers a unique blend of international appeal and industrial charm.
The rustic ambiance of exposed brick and metal accents creates an inviting backdrop for exploring our handpicked selection of wines from all winemaking areas in South Africa.

Whether you're a wine aficionado or a casual enthusiast, our intimate space invites you to discover exceptional wines.

Feedback from our clients

Testimonials

Awesome, friendly, honest service. Wonderful.

Allan and Ryan, Lusaka

I am delighted to confirm that the wine was delivered on Friday in perfect condition

Colm Ireland

Thank you very much for your outstanding service. Am impressed!

JD

I wanted to drop you an email to express our gratitude and thanks & compliment you company on its� excellence service.

Old Mutual

Any wine enthusiasts dream! Amazing selection and knowledgeable sales people.

Fred

Lara is of course the most wonderful expert you could ever want on SA wine, ably assisted by Lyzette.

David - UK

Just a word of thanks for you exceptional service re Mr H. He really appreciates it, as I do!

Donald

The wine has arrived this morning and again thank you for your time and we enjoy spending time with you choosing them

Anita

We have got the wines!!!!! Once more thousand thanks from all of us!!

Thomas and Family, Switzerland

We have never before had an order that has been handled so efficiently!

Brian and Hans Wineclub Germany

This is a fantastic spot to grab some shippers ("polys") to take wine back with you as checked luggage.

Steve

Recent events

It runs in the family!

Last month we were lucky to have JZ Mullineux drop by the shop. At just 15 years old, JZ is already making exceptional wine under his Zamboni label. He introduced us to his 2021 Syrah from Swartland and the 2022 Lledoner Pelut, a rare grape varietal originating from Spain, and only planted by Mullineux and Kloovenburg in South Africa. Its also known as Garnacha Peluda, a cousin of Grenache, and is often used in blends in Spain and France. JZ has made this delicious single varietal showing bold grippy structure, warm delicious fruit with a spicy smooth finish. Both are now available in our shop in Stellenbosch and rate as one of our favourites!

Cape Winermakers Guild

Erica Obermeyer popped into the warehouse to check on her CWG wines! Vineyard Connection the proudly appointed courier of The Cape Winemakers Guild for over 24 years!

Celebrating 100 Years of Pinotage!

Today we honour Francois Naude on Pinotage Day for his incredible contribution to Pinotage and the SA Wine Industry!

Mullineux Single Vineyard Release

We are really excited to have the latest release of Single Vineyard Mullineux wines on our shelves with a few special bottles of their famous Olerasay!

Porseleinberg 2022 has arrived!

Callie Louw has once again set the bar high for the latest release of his Porseleinberg Syrah. The 2022 clinched a 99 points from Tim Atkin and Best Overall Red Wine of the Year. We're delighted to have some bottles at The Vineyard Connection, contact us or pop in the shop to grab a bottle.

Bruce Jack with his Ghost in the Machine push experimental boundaries, with great results

Malbec, a cultivar not seen enough as a single varietal in South Africa, is commonly blended with Merlot and Petit Verdot in Right Bank Bordeaux. However the more fruit forward Malbecs from Argentina dominate, with over 75% of all Malbec plantings worldwide. Bruce Jacks Malbec with a dash of Viognier, bursts with wild berry flavours, has great structure and tannin with hints of fynbos, rosemary and tobacco leaf.

Sadie 2023 Release

A wonderful day with the Sadies on the farm tasting the new '23 release of the Ouwingerdreeks in their brand new cellar! Columella and Palladius, both 2022, really are worldclass wines! Fun fact I learned is that the Swartland, on paper, has the biggest planting of Tinta Barocca in the world! Yet this is the lowest yielding of all Portugese Varietals. Treinspoor, 100% Tinta Barocca, is planted on Greywacke Sandstone and Granite Quartz, and is a wonderful mix of dark red fruit, is supple and trim, and shows the elegant side of this varietal.

WINART Magazine

Wonderful to be featured in and on the front page of the Japanese Wine Magazine, Winart!

Hogan Release 2023

A busy week with new releases, but a real spoil to share Jocelyns family home with some very special wine friends. Her delicious and interesting release of "The Lift" a flor syle wine, which is pure and true! Only 522 bottles made. Jocelyn, true to her nature, has a very lovely gentle and honest way with her wines, there are no shortcuts in her cellar and her focus has certainly paid off

Scions of Sinai

This special area in Helderberg on the slopes of Sinai Hill, are producing some exceptional wines. Bernard Bredell is passionate about the farm, its history and the great soils around the area. He is making very elegant, layered and complex wines, with Swanesang, Granietsteen and my personal favourite Krummelklip, showing '23 as an excellent vintage.

Thistle and Weed in their beautiful new Cellar!

A special Vertical of Kakibos from first release 2018 to 2023, from interesting Portugese varietals with the 2023 blend of 45% Verdelho, 19% Chenin, 15% Alberino, 11% Palomino and 10% Fernao Pirez. This A-Team is certainly coming up with some show stoppers, with the Duwweltije, Springdoring, Nastegal and Knapsekerel Cab Franc showing really beautifully! P. Jackson - Port for short - is packed full of delicious plum pudding and squashed into a tiny bottle. Well worth including with your next cheese board.

Epilogue 2022

2021 was awarded 100 Points by Tim Atkin! Looking forward to seeing what this gem will do this year. Very limited stock

The Wonderful Mr Williams

I met Chris at Klein Constantia more than 25 years ago, which was the start to his wine journey. From Meerlust to The Foundry, has proved great success, and his newly released Geographica range of Bonsai Chenin Blanc and Thoreau Cab Franc is no exception.

Hannes Storm pops in

A fleeting visit on Friday from Hannes Storm really made one of our visitors from Napa Valleys day! Peggy and her husband popped in for a few really special wines, and were treated to a brief chat with Hannes - We are really looking forward to his release quite soon, and it was such a pleasure meeting Peggy and her husband!

Tesselaarsdal

Darren popped into the shop today to show off his mom, Berene's, delicious 2023 Tesslaarsdal Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Doing his first year at Elsenburg, he is passionate about wine, having worked at Hamilton Russell, Creation and Mousehall with Gary Jordan. Goodluck with your ventures Darren, mom can be super proud.

Larger format bottles always a treat at a dinner party

A few Sadie Magnums available and stock up with a delicious Gin for the weekend.

Alexander and Jan

Winemaker and Cinsaut prodigy Alex Milner, and Jan Solms a Freelance brand Designer and Label Master par excellence got together to label some beautiful old Cinsaut from Bellevue. Made from Old Vines, this 2018 wine promises to be quite delicious. With some clever label tricks, this fun packaging will soon be on our shelves and ready to enjoy.

21 Years of dedicated and amazing service!

Known to many in the industry for seemless deliveries of samples and all things wine, Helene Schoeman has been the cornerstone to our Freight Department at Vineyard Connection. This year sees her heading up TVC Freight for 21 incredible years! Thank you to her for all her incredible dedication and commitment and for her care to all in the industry.

Alheit Magnums

Chris and Suzaan Alheit have built up an incredible name with their wines - their aim is clear - "Heritage wine from dry-farmed old bushvine sites, made carefully and simply." Each of these Chenins, bottled in Magnums, are beautifully terroir driven, and are perfect gifts or companions for the holiday season. The larger format allows the wine to age slowly giving more longevity, but is also great fun to share with friends at your Christmas table.

Congratulations

Well done to The Sadie Family Wines for being the Top Performing Winery of the Year for the 4th time! With 7 Five Stars in this edition, it is very well deserved!

Platter Wines 2024!

Pop into the shop to get your hands on some of the new 5 Star Platter wines!

MR de Compostella 2021!

There something particularly special about the 2021 Vintage of de Compostella! A worldclass wine and worthy of its accolades! Well done Bruwer Raats, well deserving too of TA Winemaker of the year 2023!

David and Nadia 2022 Release

David Sadie joined us at Vineyard Connection last week with some fellow wine friends, to show off his 2022 release. The most challenging of vintages in the Swartland, with early rains and four heatwaves during harvest, David has worked his magic! With numerous pickings - 13 times over 10 days on his Platbos Chenin - these vines ranging from 1968 to 1984 held up, and the small berries have created these elegant, tight and complex wines. His 4 single varietal Chenins are very limited, but his Aristagos, Chenin Blanc, Elpidios and Grenache are available, on our shelves, and a real treat.

Markus Sadie

A visit from Markus Sadie this morning to drop off his very first wine ! An absolutely delicious Chenin blend, Die Waterhuis! Grapes from vineyards he and Xander, his brother planted on the Sadie farm years ago. Markus worked for us while he was studying and is currently working in Napa. Watch this space, he's only just begun! The first shop to see this special wine - very limited - very delicious!

Vintners 2023!

Vintners 2023 in Stilbay, was once again a resounding success, and for many, the best yet! Well done to Pieter Walser of Blankbottle for his win in the comp and the Gunther Schultz for his work in putting this together. Vineyard Connection is proud to be associated with this amazing group of winemakers and to help contribute in the sponsorship of the event. Looking forward to the next one!

A spectacular Monday in the Swartland with the Sadie's

The 2022 Ouwingereeks and 2021 Signature wines, are truly exceptional, and with the new addition of their first Swartland Chenin, Rotsbank, the 3 chenins are a treat to compare side by side. Their new vineyard Rotsbank, which borders the Sadie farm, is planted on a very shallow granite shelf, and is the first vineyard in the Swartland to ripen each year. This wine is flinty, reductive and grippy and is well worth the wait for their first Swartland Chenin! Some of these gems, although in very short supply, are for sale in our shop at the end of the month.

Steilpad Chenin Blanc 2022

Jorrie De Plessis, the former winemaker at Lammershoek, popped into the shop yesterday with his new release. He is the 4th generation to farm Steilpad Farm in Paarl. This delicious Chenin has layers of baked quince and pear with warm citrus acidity and a lovely lingering finish. The minerality along with a tiny subtle tannin gives depth and spiciness to this wine. An absolutely delicious pure reflection of this South African fruit - Very soon to be released and available in our shop.

A visit by Tyrrel to show his exciting new Joostenberg releases

Some great wines in this farm's stable, from the delicious Myburgh Bros Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2022 - packed full of peaches and melons to KlippeKou Syrah, and the more authentic and classic Philip Albert Cabernet Sauvignon 2018. Pop in to the shop - Monday to Friday 9 to 5pm to make up a pack of delicious winter warmers.

Thistle and Weed

Duwweltjie, Khakibos, Brandnetel, Knapsekerel, Springdoring and Nastergal. These beautifully made wines by Stephanie and Etienne, are named after the weeds growing between the vines on each site. Duweltjie with its elegant and broad mid palate, to Khakibos with its saltiness and long lingering finish. These wines are perfectly matched with Oysters, salty Parmesan cheese and rich curriy.

Another winner from Chris Williams!

The Foundry Geographic Bonsai Chenin Blanc 2020 These grapes, from an old Helderberg vineyard, were planted in 1957, bearing very small bunches with tiny golden yellow berries. Chris says these gnarley old vines are small,and resemble old bonsai bushes, hence the name. This wine has beautiful concentration, rich and full on the palate, with a fresh acidity and a deliciously long finish.

Staying Alive Riesling

A collaboration between Delheim and Hammel Estate in Germany, is a culmination of a 40 year friendship between these two families, entrenched in the wine worlds of South Africa and Germany. We were paid a special visit by Christoph Hammel and Nora Sperling a few weeks back, and tasted this exceptional Riesling. The gregarious Christoph tells the story of the Suisse yeast which was used in this wine to kickstart fermentation. This yeast, known as the "Sleeping Beauty" or 1895C, was isolated from wine residue left over from a bottle of Swiss wine made in 1895. This is the first time that a dormant yeast found in very old wine has been resuscitated and grown for commercial use again. This is a delicious Riesling with balance of fruit to acidity well tied up and with a richly creamy mouthfeel. Pop in to pick up a bottle

Luddite 21 years Old!!

We were happy to have seen Niels Verburg from Luddite last week, who popped in to showcase his new and exciting releases! � His 2020 Shiraz is simply fantastic, celebrating their 21 years of winemaking! Its a beautifully balanced wine, quintessential Luddite, with a deep dark core fruit, cloves, spice and delicious saltiness on the finish. The very limited Luddite Chenin of which only 2500 bottles were made, has a beautiful saline minerality on the pallet, great structure and is a superb food wine. The two blended wines in the same stable are the Saboteur White and Red, both in crown cap, are drinking so well, and are all available at The Wineshop at Vineyard Connection.