Yonder Hill Wines

Fifteen kilometres from Stellenbosch on the road to Somerset West, where the western slopes of the Helderberg Mountains catch the afternoon sun and views stretch across False Bay to Table Mountain, sits Yonder Hill — one of the smallest wine farms on the Stellenbosch Wine Route and one of its most characterful.

The Naude family has been farming here since the early 1990s, when Frikkie Naude purchased the property and recognised its potential for premium red wine production. The cellar was first built in 2003 and later renovated in 2007 to bring a more modern feel to the intimate winemaking operation. From the beginning, Yonder Hill has been a family affair — wines are named after family members, and the estate's identity is inseparable from the Naude clan.

Winemaker Abe Beukes — known affectionately as Oom Abe — crafts a focused portfolio of wines that lean heavily on Bordeaux-style reds. The flagship Nicola, named after the owner's daughter, is a Cabernet Sauvignon-driven blend with Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc that delivers complexity within an elegant frame. The Inanda blends Merlot with Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Petit Verdot for a lighter, more approachable red with notes of roasted coffee and dark chocolate. A single-varietal Merlot rounds out the red portfolio.

The whites and rosé carry their own family connections. The Benjamin Sauvignon Blanc, named after Daniel Naude's son, bursts with tropical guava and pineapple. The Danilo Rose blends Merlot and Grenache Noir in a dry, French-style rosé. And at the summit of the range, the Ankole Pinnacle Reserve — the estate's icon wine — combines the family's passion for winemaking with another of their agricultural ventures: the Benella Ankole Stud, the first Ankole cattle stud in the Western Cape, named after Daniel's children Benjamin and Ella.

Beyond wine, Yonder Hill has built a welcoming destination for families and couples alike. The tasting room opens onto gardens with mountain views, and a kids' jungle gym keeps younger visitors entertained while parents explore the portfolio. The on-site bistro serves lunch, dinner, pizza, platters, and dishes from a dedicated kids' menu, with food and wine pairings available. Three accommodation options — The Manor House, The Olive Cottage, and Mountain View Cottage — make this an ideal base for a Helderberg weekend escape, complete with fireplaces for winter stays and walking trails through the surrounding farmland.

Yonder Hill also brews its own beer, a rarity on the Stellenbosch Wine Route, and the estate's deli farm shop stocks house products and local artisan goods. The double gold award at Rose Rocks confirms that quality extends well beyond the reds. With a 4.6-star Google rating and the intimate scale that allows visitors to feel like guests rather than customers, Yonder Hill proves that the smallest farms often tell the biggest stories.