Anura Vineyards

On the foothills of the Simonsberg Mountains, between Paarl and Stellenbosch, sits a wine estate named after the Latin word for frog. The connection is not whimsical — frogs are plentiful on the farm, which contains an area called Padda Bult (Frog Hill), and when Tymen Bouma decided to transform his family property into a wine estate in 2000, the chorus of amphibians that filled the evening air seemed as good a naming inspiration as any. Anura was born.

The Bouma family's story on this land begins in 1989 when they purchased the farm then known as Sonop (Dutch for Sunrise), renamed it Beaumont, and began enjoying the farming life. In 1992, Tymen commenced planting new trellised vineyards — the first vines a combination of Pinot Noir and Merlot. A plum orchard followed in 1993, and through the rest of the decade additional red varietals arrived: Shiraz, Sangiovese, Petit Verdot, Pinotage, and finally Chardonnay by 2000. That same year, Anura Vineyards was officially established and the Forest Hill cheesery came into being, adding artisan cheese to the wine estate's offering.

What followed was two decades of diversification that turned a wine farm into a full lifestyle destination. The LillyPad restaurant opened in 2003, bringing contemporary cuisine to the estate. Lance Bouma, Tymen's son, began his cellar apprenticeship in 2005 and has since become integral to the winemaking operation. A new tasting room opened in 2006, major facility expansion followed in 2007, and in 2008 Froggit Foods was established — a gourmet condiment company extending the frog theme. In 2011, 12 Pigs Charcuterie launched, adding house-cured meats to the Anura experience, and construction of a lifestyle village and conference facility began in 2013.

Today Anura Vineyards is owned and run by Tymen, Jenny, and Lance Bouma, and the estate's passion remains red wine. The diverse soils, slopes, and microclimates of the Simonsberg foothills support an extensive portfolio of eighteen varietals across three tiers. The estate range covers Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Rose, Pinotage, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and approachable blends like the Legato and Arpeggio. The Reserve range elevates the best parcels — Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Merlot Reserve, Pinotage Reserve, Petit Verdot Reserve, Malbec Reserve, and the Shiraz Mourvedre Grenache Reserve — into more serious, age-worthy expressions. A Brut Cap Classique and the Signature Pinotage and Cape Cuvee round out a portfolio that spans everything from an everyday glass to a collector's bottle.

The estate's 4.3-star Google rating across 409 reviews reflects a venue that delivers breadth and value. With the cheesery, charcuterie, condiment company, restaurant, conference facilities, and a dam with panoramic mountain views, Anura has evolved from a Pinot Noir and Merlot experiment on Frog Hill into one of the most complete wine lifestyle destinations between Paarl and Stellenbosch.