Stellenbosch · Since 1692
Are you of legal drinking age?
You must be 18 or older to enter. By entering you accept our Terms & Privacy notice. Please enjoy our wines responsibly.
We're sorry, you must be of legal drinking age to enter.
Our History · Rooted in 1692
A legacy centuries
in the making.
One of South Africa's oldest and largest family-owned wine estates.
The founder
The man who built the Castle also planted the vine.
In 1692, master stonemason Douwe Gerbrandt Steyn settled on the Stellenbosch farm then known as Rustenburg, finding rust (peace and rest) in Stellenbosch. Having arrived at the Cape by 1672, he played a leading role in the construction of the Castle of Good Hope, completed in 1679. He later served as overseer of the Stellenbosch Moederkerk in 1686 and, from 1697, as City Engineer of Cape Town.
Beyond his work in stone, he was also among the Cape's early pioneers of viticulture, planting vineyards and making wine.
The legend of the coin
Legend has it that a toss of a coin between Douwe Gerbrandt Steyn and Governor Simon van der Stel decided who would claim which side of the Helderberg. Stellenrust to one, the land later known as Vergelegen to the other.
But a friendly argument followed. Who would own the summit? As the story goes, neither man could lay claim to the mountaintop, and so they agreed that it should belong to neither, but rather be set aside for conservation, leaving the mountain to nature and generations yet to come.
1928 · Twelve generations
The first wines to carry our name.
The first wines bearing the Stellenrust name were released in 1928, but our story began generations earlier. What started with a master stonemason's connection to the land has grown into a winemaking legacy shaped by twelve generations of knowledge, dedication and craftsmanship.
Today, every bottle carries our name and a philosophy rooted in our heritage: our wines aren't simply made, they're built. With patience, passion and an unwavering commitment to our motto, where excellence meets winemaking.
The custodian's rule
A tenth-generation rule set by our grandfather holds that one must study a degree other than wine before joining the family estate. He believed a Da Vinci is born, not fabricated, that wine is art and it must run in your veins.
The custodians today
A surgeon and an accountant, called home.
Managing partners Kobie van der Westhuizen, a qualified accountant, and Tertius Boshoff, a qualified medical professional in the field of maxillo-facial surgery, each honoured that rule before joining the family operation in 2005, and set out on a course of vigorous growth for an age-old brand, her deep-rooted vines, and her people.
Listen
Some stories are better heard than read.
Continue through the estate