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Located in the Paarl-Simonsberg region on
the northern side of the Simonsberg Mountains |
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42 hectares with 12 hectares planted in 1998 and 1999 |
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All Bordeaux varietals: |
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Cabernet Franc |
1.36 ha |
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Malbec |
0.83 ha |
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Cabernet Sauvignon |
6.08 ha |
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Merlot |
3.86 ha |
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Rootstock is predominantly 101-14 (V. riparia x V. rupestris) |
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Spacing at 1.2 meter in-row by 1.6 meter between-row
to give 5,208 vines per hectare. (Approximately 4 feet
by 5.25 feet to give 2,110 vines per acre) The South African
average is about 2,500 vines per hectare. |
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All of the farming is carried out with motor bikes with
4-wheel drive to reduce compaction from the weight of
a tractor as well as the potential for wheel-slippage
induced compaction of soils |
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All vertically shoot positioned (VSP) canopies |
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Sub-surface drainage |
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Soils are generally gravelly clay, very old and well weathered |
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The “Vilafontes” soil type is the namesake for the vineyard and the wines |
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Soils are low to moderately low vegetative vine growth potential |
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Gently sloping with a generally North Westerly facing topography with all of the rows running parallel to the down-hill slope |
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Two row orientations: |
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North-North East, North West, Sunlight exposure in the ripening stages, last
45 days |
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Pruning is to bi-lateral cordon |
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Drip irrigation is installed |
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Annual rainfall in the area is approximately 500 mm per calendar year (approximately 20 inches) |
