Wines from South Africa by Friesland

The Steenkamp family's 36-hectare boutique Friesland farm is located in the Bottelary Hills with elevated, south-west facing slopes overlooking Table Bay and is ideally suited for the production of the premium Stellenbosch varieties. Friesland is also a province in the northern part of the Netherlands, honouring the Dutch heritage of the first Steenkamps who settled in the Cape in the late 1600s. 

The Steenkamps love their red wine and their Karoo lamb (the latter comes from the family farm near Sutherland), with the late father Kosie's Karoo roots symbolised by the windmill on the Friesland farm and also featured on the labels. The Friesland team also organises destination marketing (sunset tastings) at the winery. 

1. STELLENBOSCH 

Our family wines are certified Stellenbosch origin wines and are sourced from the two family-run wine estates, Friesland and Groenland, in the Bottelary Hills or selected and purchased from neighbouring Stellenbosch estates. With elevated, south-west facing slopes overlooking Table Mountain and Table Bay and well-drained gravelly soils with pebbles, Bottelary is a down-to-earth, beautiful wine-growing region. 

2. FAMILY 

The couple De Bruyn and Marilise Steenkamp are the owners of the Friesland Boutique Winery. Cape Wine Master De Bruyn is the fourth generation to have grown up on the Steenkamp family's land and has blended the wines from the best vineyards in Stellenbosch. 

3. QUALITY 

Our family range comprises five premium labels, including 3 reds and 2 whites, with a particular preference for Bordeaux-style blends. Stellenbosch is the land of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, and the wines are rich, fruit-driven, elegant and supported by grippy tannins and a lasting structure. 

THE FARM 

The boutique Friesland wine estate is located in the Bottelary Hills, outside Stellenbosch, and offers ideal growing conditions for top wines with its elevated, south-west facing slopes overlooking Table Bay in the distance. The farm has been owned by the Steenkamp family since 1999. The father of brand owner De Bruyn, Kosie, acquired this beautiful 36-hectare piece of land, which has since been planted with first-class Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Sauvignon Blanc, with some old Chenin Blanc bush vines (planted in 1981) rounding off the selection of grape varieties. Friesland is of course also a province in the northern part of the Netherlands, honouring the Dutch heritage of the first Steenkamps who settled in the Cape in the late 1600s. 

De Bruyn's late father Kosie grew up in Sutherland (coldest town, capital of the stargazers) in the Karoo and brought with him our family's love for the wide open spaces, clear skies and sitting together in the 'takskerm'. The fact that there is a windmill on the Friesland farm is a good link to our Karoo roots. The family land (the larger Groenland farm) originally came into the Steenkamp family through the women, as De Bruyn's mother Helene grew up on the farm and father Kosie bought the Groenland farm in the mid-70s, after the death of grandfather Piet. De Bruyn (4th generation) has 3 siblings: the twins Piet (who farms on Groenland) and Antoinette and the winemaker Marié. 

Because we like to share the beauty of our landscape (and the magnificent view of Table Mountain) with our customers, the Friesland team has set up a wine tasting venue in the Friesland vineyards where De Bruyn can organise group/company tastings for up to 30 people.