Almenkerk Wine Estate

The story of Almenkerk begins not in the Elgin Valley but in Belgium, where Joris and Natalie van Almenkerk first dreamed of making wine under Southern Hemisphere skies. In 2002 the couple relocated to South Africa and set about searching for a property with the right terroir. They found it in an apple farm nestled in the cool-climate highlands of Elgin, surrounded by the Hottentots Holland and Kogelberg mountain ranges. By 2004 the apple trees were making way for vines, and Almenkerk Wine Estate was born.

Joris, a law graduate by training, had discovered his love for winemaking during a harvest in Stellenbosch. That experience reoriented his life. At Almenkerk he threw himself into understanding the Elgin terroir — its maritime-influenced cool climate, its deep shale soils, and the long, slow growing season that gives grapes time to develop complexity while retaining the bright natural acidity that defines the region. Natalie, with a background in business management and communications, became the custodian of the brand, shaping everything from label design to the visitor experience.

The estate occupies fifteen hectares of vines planted predominantly to Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc — the varieties that thrive most naturally in Elgin's cool conditions — supported by Syrah, Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. Both the cellar building and the estate logo take their inspiration from the vierkantshoeve, the enclosed square farmsteads of medieval Flanders. It is a deliberate connection to the family's Flemish roots, woven into the South African landscape.

The wines are structured across three tiers. The Lace range offers approachable, easy-drinking wines designed for everyday enjoyment. The Almenkerk Collection represents the heart of the estate: single-varietal expressions with greater concentration and complexity from selected vineyard blocks. At the summit, the Flemish Masters tier showcases rare, limited-release bottlings that represent the finest fruit of exceptional vintages.

Critical recognition has followed. The estate has been recognised for award-winning wines through South African and international competitions, and the Wines of Elgin association lists Almenkerk among the region's benchmark cool-climate producers. Visitors are welcomed Tuesday to Saturday in a tasting room overlooking the vineyards and the valley below, where the Lace and Almenkerk ranges can be tasted for R50 and R75 per person respectively.

Almenkerk is a family estate in the truest sense. Joris and Natalie remain hands-on in every aspect of production and hospitality. Their Belgian heritage infuses the estate with a European sense of craft and detail, while the Elgin terroir provides the raw material for wines of elegance and restraint. It is a farm where two continents meet in a single glass.