Grangehurst

Jeremy over Grangehurst

The property Grangehurst, situated on the slopes of The Helderberg mountain midway between Stellenbosch and the False Bay coastline, was purchased by my parents in 1973. Originally known as Boplaas, the name was changed to Grangehurst – a combination of the names of my parents’ childhood homes in England viz. The Grange in Birmingham and Hurst Close in London.  “Grange” means “a country house with farm-buildings” and “hurst” means a “hillock” – the combination of “a country house with farm buildings on a hill” is a very appropriate name for our property.

In 1992, I started making wine as a “commercial hobby” on our squash court and over the years we have increased our production facilities. Our focus is red wines produced from Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Merlot (since 1992), Shiraz (since 2003) and Petit Verdot (since 2006). Our quest is to produce quality red wines that will provide much pleasure for our customers – especially when enjoyed with fine cuisine. Apart from our handcrafted, traditional and unhurried classic red wines, we also produce a dry rosé that is somewhere between a rosé and a light red wine.

Platter’s over Grangehurst

There’s no guessing where Jeremy Walker’s interests lie: nine of his wines are cabernet or blends thereof, pinotage a close second, with six. Owner and cellarmaster of this boutique winery on the lower Helderberg slopes, he’s meticulous and won’t be hurried – the wines are generally long barrel-aged and released only when he deems them ready. A far cry from the beginnings in 1992 in a converted squash court, the modern cellar is joined by a new ‘pavilion’ tasting room with lovely vistas. Jeremy’s other passion is surfing (False Bay a 15-minute drive away),