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Named after the majestic views of the Simonsberg Mountain, Simonsig Estate is situated in the famous Stellenbosch Winelands region,45 km east of Cape Town.
French Huguenot, Jacques Malan, first set foot in the Cape in 1688.
The late Frans Malan, Simonsig’s founding father, was a pioneer of the South African wine industry. A true visionary, Frans introduced new and innovative wine styles to the country, thereby establishing a unique and specific Cape wine culture. Two generations of the Malan family have applied their extensive wine knowledge and understanding of the unique soils and climate conditions of the Stellenbosch region, capturing the essence of this specific terroir in a range of distinguished red and white wines. Today, Simonsig’s awarded wines are known and appreciated in South Africa and all over the world.
Rich soils and unique locations ideally suited to a variety of grape cultivars have ensured that Stellenbosch continues to dominate South African winemaking, with the vine being by far the region’s most prominent agricultural feature. As many South African wines continue to gain global recognition, Stellenbosch remains at the heart of the South African wine story.
The recorded history of Stellenbosch dates back to 1679 when this name was given to a small island on Eerste River by Simon van der Stel, the then governor of the Cape. It can be reasonably assumed that prior to its official naming the Stellenbosch surrounds were home to various indigenous communities. Stellenbosch was quickly identified as an area in which to settle, with great potential for agriculture. The surrounding areas proved rich in soil and correct climate for producing vegetables to sustain the ships passing by the Cape of Good Hope en route to the other Dutch colonies in the East. Add to this the thirst of the Dutch and other settlers which necessitated the making of good wine, Stellenbosch soon saw its hills and valleys planted to vines along with other agricultural crops.
In 1971 Stellenbosch became the first wine region in South Africa to establish a wine route as an organised network of wineries at which tourists could experience the product of the vine and tune into the soul of the region’s winelands.
Launched in 2004, the BWI is a partnership between the South African wine industry and the conservation sector.
The aim is to conserve the Cape’s natural environment, which includes its unique, world-famous floral kingdom and contributing to sustainable wine production.
We recognize the importance of sustaining the source of our beautiful produce. Simonsig is fully compliant with the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW), assuring that sustainable production guidelines are being followed on the farm as well as in the cellar. IPW embraces minimum interference in the vineyard, planting vines in ways to prevent erosion, reducing the amount of sulphur dioxide used in wine producing and setting aside a minimum of two hectares of land to preserve biodiversity.
The Estate is committed to the well-being of its people. Simonsig has a crèche and after-school centre where six teacher-carers look after 70 children between the ages of three months and 12 years. This allows Simonsig’s workers to attend to their daily tasks with the reassurance that their children are fed and being cared for.
