The Farm
BALEIA, A NAME THAT ANCHORS
Baleia, Portugese for Whale, is the only producer in the Lower Duivenhoks River. Jan-Hendrik Joubert was the maverick who came across the unique limestone soils, laden with rich, salt deposits. With pH and minerality levels that are literally off the charts, his curiosity resulted in planting vineyards despite the harsh, rugged and remote location.
THE ELEMENTS
Baleia faces the full brunt of the elements, and farming here is not for the faint of heart. An ever-present south-easterly wind that batters the vineyards, along with the rock-hard soils, make growing conditions difficult. This invisible force causes the struggling vine to yield a small crop of concentrated berries with thick skins which give good tannin.
The Baleia terroir is characterised by extremely cold winters, low rainfall and relentless summer winds coming off the ocean. The hard, agglomerated soils make drip irrigation not only crucial but the timing of watering becomes an art. Baleia thrives in this environment, producing wines that reflect the wines of rock that they are grown in.
THE PLACE
All great wines are born from a special location. In the case of Baleia, it is a terroir unlike any other in South Africa. In fact, we are the first and only winery in the Lower Duivenhoks ward near the remote hamlet of Vermaaklikheid on the Cape South Coast.
The Lower Duivenhoks River branches out over 83 km from the Langeberg Mountains in Heidelberg to where it runs into the sea at St Sebastian Bay, a life-giving artery in an otherwise arid region. The mineral-rich soils and harsh, cold climate here allow us to make wines that are vividly expressive of their maritime origin.
Growing grapes in this rugged, extreme environment has taught us a deep respect and understanding for nature. At Baleia we have a holistic mindset that extends beyond winemaking.
OUR WINES
The uniqueness of the Baleia property lies in the soil, which consists largely of pure, solid limestone with a very high mineral content. This creates a very unique and particular mouthfeel to the wines, reminiscent of chalky minerality and maritime salinity.
This soil is also home to the very rare Canca fynbos, which is endemic to the South Coast and one of very few fynbos species to flourish in the alkaline environment of limestone outcrops.
VINEYARD PHILOSOPHY
At Baleia the winemaking cycle begins with consistent attention to detail in the vineyards. Making use of technology such as soil probes and, NDVI scanning, one is able to fine-tune the vineyards through the perfect amount of stress that brings balance and longevity.
We believe healthy soil promotes healthy roots, which promotes healthy vines that produce beautifully balanced fruit.
WINEMAKING
The winemaking philosophy at Baleia is all about portraying the unique aspect of the site. Making wines that are true to their terroir and can be identified by their very specific mineral and maritime character in a blind tasting.
These inherent qualities are allowed to take centre stage in the wines because we use minimal intervention in the cellar to ensure that we do not cloud the natural beauty. When you savour a glass of Baleia, you’ll known the circle is complete.
STAY
Pleasant country accommodation to unwind
Videira, meaning ‘vine’ in Portuguese is a self-catering house located on the beautiful farm Dassieklip that is home to the Baleia Wines vineyard and olive orchard. You can enjoy a lovely morning walk through the vineyards and orchard.
Videira is a self-catering country house on a working farm, situated ± 30 km from Riversdale in the beautiful Southern Cape. Closest town in Vermaaklikheid, a mere 10km.
For more information please contact Lindi at [email protected]
