Founded in 2009 by owner and self-taught winemaker Ginny Povall, an intrepid American who fell in love with the beautiful Cape winelands and purchased Protea Heights farm in Stellenbosch’s Devon. Established in the late 1940s, Protea Heights was the first farm in South Africa to cultivate indigenous protea flowers commercially (South Africa’s national flower). Inspired by this horticultural history, it was only natural that Ginny would choose to develop her wine brands and labels with a botanical flair.

Today the estate boasts eight varieties of proteas (four of which are hybridized species unique to the property), largely destined for export to Europe. The 53 acre farm is planted with 24 acres of indigenous flowers, which bloom throughout the year and 12 acres of organically farmed, high density vineyards. Planted between 2009 and 2010, the estate vines include Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Albariño.

The wine has a deep plum color with a delicious blend of blackcurrant, tobacco and fennel notes on the nose. On the palate this opulent wine has a balanced acidity that is supported by layers of blackcurrant and plum with traces of dark chocolate. The palate is rounded off by smooth, silky tannins.

The organically farmed grapes were destemmed, crushed and fermented in open top fermentation tanks, with punch downs performed twice daily. The wine was gently pressed and racked to barrel for malolactic fermentation. It was aged for 11 months in 2nd, 3rd and 4th fill 300L French oak barrels.