Rijk’s Wine Estate & Hotel is situated in a little town called Tulbagh, 120km northeast of Cape Town and 90km east of the Atlantic coast. Our story begins with a man who had a dream and the courage to pursue it. Join us for a journey through the past and discover the history of our family-owned estate and how we reached where we are today.
1751 to 1771
During this period, Rijk Tulbagh was the Governor of the Cape. Not only was our town named after him, but also the Rijk’s brand in his honour.
1969
Devastating earthquake destroys the town of Tulbagh.
1996
Lover of good food and collector of good wines, Neville Dorrington had been working in Cape Town for more than 20 years. In 1996 Neville and his family decided to move to the countryside and grow and produce their own wine. They fell in love with the Tulbagh valley and came across 137 hectares of virgin soils that were never cultivated. The slopes faced north, south, east and west and the analysis of the vertical shale soils revealed the potential for low yielding, high-quality grapes. The offer to purchase was accepted and the Rijk’s farm was found.
1997
14 Hectares of vines were planted, and the following year a further 12 hectares. We decided to plant many different cultivars – Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Shiraz and Pinotage to see what best suited our climate.
1999
Our new cellar was designed by legendary winemaker Gunter Brozel, who had retired from Nederburg after 33 years and opened on time.
2000
First grapes were harvested and received at our cellar for processing.
2002
Pierre Wahl joined Rijk’s as winemaker. Our first export order was shipped to Sweden.
2003
Our first of many Gold and Double Gold awards received for Chenin Blanc, Pinotage and Shiraz. Rijk’s was extremely well received and bought by wine enthusiasts from around the world.
2011
After 12 years we had learnt about our natural environment and the characteristic taste and flavours of the wines we produced. We decided to concentrate on the cultivars best suited to our farm and soil – Chenin Blanc, Pinotage and Shiraz. All other cultivars, including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, were pulled out and replaced. This was a difficult but valuable decision for the future of Rijk’s, evident in the specialised wines that we produce today.
2013
This year marked the Maiden vintage of the Rijk’s Pinotage Syrah Cape Blend.
2016
Having been born on the farm in the same year that Rijk’s Estate started planting vineyards, it’s no surprise that Neville’s son, Tiger has shown a keen interest in nature and agriculture from an early age. Since harvesting the vineyards from a quad bike at 5 years, Tiger knew that one day he wanted to take over the family business. In 2016 Tiger officially joined the farm and has now fully taken over from Neville and is in charge of the farm.
2018
The Dorrington family has long aspired to create an authentic South African estate. Pursuing this dream, they purchased and renovated Rijk’s Hotel. Today, the estate features luxurious Winelands accommodations, inviting Rijk’s wine enthusiasts from around the world to enjoy the charm of Tulbagh farm life.
Daniél, our Farm manager joined the team in 2021 and Adriaan, our winemaker joined the team in 2022. Currently Rijk’s is run by an awesome team, with a vision aligned towards a sustainable future and constantly looking where improvements can be made in all aspects. Big things are in store for the years to come.
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