Axe Hill Winery

Axe Hill was started by the late Tony Mossop and wife Lyn, at a remote site on the outskirts of Calitzdorp in the Klein Karoo during 1993. Mike Neebe took over in 2007 and has just completed his 15th harvest (2021).

The area has been acclaimed for its fortified wines for many years and Calitzdorp is affectionately known as “the Port Capital of South Africa”. The unique micro-climate prevalent in the region is typically characterized by dry, arid conditions which add to the overall concentration of Portuguese varieties grown here. The name of the vineyard originates from the stone hand tools found on the farm and possibly used by pre-historic man over a quarter of a million years ago.

In exceptional years one vintage port is made from a blend of the traditional Portuguese varieties; Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz and Souzão. The wine is matured in old French oak barrels after hand sorting and foot crushing in lagares for maximum extraction of flavours and colour. This method closely resembles traditional Portuguese port wine making techniques which have been in use for centuries.

From early experimentation with a small range of white wine grapes, the cellar now produces various dry white wines and or blends, including: Ambientem – barrel fermented (wild yeast) Chenin Blanc, Tant Lenie – an unusual barrel fermented Viognier from a neighbouring farm. More recently a Klein Karoo White Blend, featuring Chenin Blanc, Viognier and Palomino from a very old Calitzdorp block!

Chenin Blanc grapes are also used in to produce a Dry White Port – a drier style fortified wine. The wine is barrel-aged by the fractional blending of old to young wine so that each bottling is a fusion of ages, with the average age gradually increasing over the years. Axe Hill Cape White has its origins with the first vintage in 2003 and will continue to grow in complexity with future releases.

Apart from Cape Ruby Port, Cape Vintage Port and LBV, a periodic Shiraz Red – and some other unique dry reds, the cellar will soon release its seventh vintage of Machado (meaning axe in Portuguese) – (2016) a unique Dry Red blend made from Portuguese varietals; Souzão, Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca and Tinta Roriz.

A new label, GATOS – meaning cats in Portuguese – named after the farm cats, will become a new experimental range, the first of which is a Calitzdorp Cinsualt from 2020 – a light dry red, ideal for lunch time table – quite unique and the only one from Calitzdorp for now!

Visits only by appointment