Haute Cabrière - the home of Pierre Jourdan

Haute Cabriere traces its origins to 1694, when French Huguenot Pierre Jourdan was granted land in the Franschhoek Valley by the Dutch East India Company. For nearly three centuries the farm changed hands quietly until the von Arnim family purchased the property in 1982 and set about reviving its winemaking heritage. Patriarch Achim von Arnim became one of the first producers of Methode Cap Classique sparkling wine in South Africa, naming his debut range Pierre Jourdan in honour of the original settler. That decision placed Haute Cabriere at the forefront of the country's MCC movement and established the estate as a Franschhoek landmark.

Achim was also the first South African winemaker to create a still wine from traditional Champagne varietals -- Chardonnay and Pinot Noir -- an approach that remains central to the Haute Cabriere philosophy. The winery works almost exclusively with these two grape varieties, exploring every expression from delicate blanc de blancs sparkling to full-bodied barrel-fermented still wines. The cellar is carved into the mountainside, and visitors taste in a romantic underground space where the rock walls keep temperatures naturally cool.

Second-generation Cellar Master Takuan von Arnim now leads the winemaking programme. Takuan grew up on the estate and trained both locally and internationally before returning to continue the family legacy. Under his direction the range has expanded to include the Haute Collection, a tier of limited-release wines that push the boundaries of the estate's terroir, alongside the core Haute Cabriere and Pierre Jourdan labels.

The estate's Cellar Restaurant sits above the underground tasting room and offers panoramic views of the Franschhoek Valley. The kitchen serves a menu of contemporary dishes designed to complement the wines, with particular emphasis on the interplay between Chardonnay-Pinot Noir blends and seasonal ingredients. Public cellar tours run at 11h00 on weekdays, giving visitors a behind-the-scenes look at the traditional riddling racks and the dramatic sabrage ceremony for which Achim von Arnim became famous -- opening bottles of MCC with a sabre.

Haute Cabriere is a stop on the Franschhoek Wine Tram route. The tasting room is open seven days a week with no booking required, making it one of the most accessible premium estates in the valley. Tasting flights include Shades of Chardonnay, Shades of Pinot Noir, and a Family Favourites selection. The estate also operates a gift shop stocking wines, branded merchandise, and local artisan products.