WeeklySA_AdminDEVASTATION: Owners of the winery damaged last Sunday by blaze fuelled by gale force winds move to restore the wine farm to its famed glorious splendour…
By Len Maseko
Reconstruction of Blaauwklippen Estate’s iconic buildings damaged by fire in the early hours of last Sunday is expected to commence soon.
The Stellenbosch winery, which is one of the oldest farms in the Cape winelands dating back to 1682, caught fire that started from a neighbouring farm, causing damage running to millions. The fire spread to the 300-year-old Manor House from the dam’s side, then to the Jonkershuis and eventually the Cathedral. All three buildings were burnt to the ground.
In the aftermath of the fire, Newmark Hotels & Reserves CEO Neil Markovitz this week confirmed in a statement that the wine estate’s owners have committed to rebuilding and restoring its 300-year-old Manor House. Newmark Hotels is the estate’s hospitality management partner.
The fire took six firefighting teams, including Blaauwklippen’s Disaster Management teams and together with those from neighbouring farms, to quell.
The teams battled winds of up to 139km per hour; thankfully there were no injuries although the destruction was extensive.
Heritage buildings damaged in the fire are the Jonkershuis, which was built in 1720, the Manor House in 1789, with the latest addition being the popular wedding venue, the Cathedral built in 2018.
In a press statement, the winery said the incident marked a sad chapter but was made easier to bear “by the gratitude that no lives were lost and we acknowledge the swift evacuation and heroic efforts of our personnel – Stefan, Chrisma and their teams, who ensured that no one was injured”.
“This is a devastating loss not only for Blaauwklippen Wine Estate but for South African heritage. Blaauwklippen is one of the oldest wine farms in Stellenbosch.
Both the Jonkershuis and Manor House were beautiful examples of Cape Dutch architecture dating back to the 1700s,” said Markovitz..
Blaauwklippen is located at the foothills of the Stellenbosch Mountain and comprises 115 hectares – with 51 hectares of vine. In the heart of “The Golden Triangle” of the Stellenbosch Winelands, the farm’s terroir is part of an area widely recognised as the finest wine-growing sub-region in the country – specifically famous for the quality of the red wines.
The previous owners of the wine farm, the German Schorghüber Corporate Group, Farmer’s Markt Landhandel, acquired it in 1999 and kept ownership until 2017.
Blaauwklippen, under new ownership in 2017 that saw André Markgraaff as shareholder and chairperson of the estate, later struck a partnership leading family business Van Loveren Vineyards (of the famous Four Cousins brand) through a strategic partnership aimed at enhancing their premium offerings to the local market and specifically to accelerate fine South African wine offerings to the world market.
