Bilton

Stellenbosch,  South Africa

Bilton Wines' vineyards are situated on the foothills of the Helderberg mountains where deep, rich soils, combined with cool westerly breezes blowing in from the nearby ocean, provide excellent wine-growing and ripening conditions. The history of the estate dates back to the late 17th century when the first pioneering farmers came to settle in the beautiful region of Stellenbosch. Although much of its early history has been lost in the mists of time, it is known that the land has been planted with grapes since 1726.

Over the years however, the cellar (dated 1824) had become derelict, and when Don Bilton bought the estate in 1959, it was planted with mainly peach trees and 40 hectares of vineyard. Under Don's competent ownership, the peach trees made way for vineyards, pear trees and vegetables. Committed to realize the full potential of the land, Don was the first South African farmer to import a drip irrigation system from Israel in the late 1960's. Always at the forefront of innovation, he was also the first to import Filclair tunnels from France, while his son, Mark Bilton, introduced hydroponic vegetable farming in 1974.

For the next two decades, the farming activities centred around the production of vegetables, fruit and wine grapes. The latter were sold to co-ops where they were mass-blended. In 1996, Mark Bilton assumed the responsibilities of the estate from his father, and employed Adrean Naude as estate manager. This heralded a comprehensive restructuring of the farming activities. Over the next few years, the pear trees as well as poor bearing vineyards were uprooted, the hydroponic section closed down, and the soil prepared for a major vineyard replanting program. In the quest to focus on wine grapes best suited to the terroir - specific slopes, soil and micro-climatic conditions were identified for the planting of the noble cultivars.

1998 was a watershed year for Bilton Wines. The Merlot vines yielded such excellent quality that it was decided to bottle the wine under the Bilton label. Undaunted by the fact that there is no active wine cellar on the estate, the grapes were transported to a wine cellar in Franschhoek where only 100 cases were made and bottled under the first ever Bilton Wines label. Such was the demand for this intensely flavored, full-bodied wine that the maiden vintage (1998) was followed by a Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon in 1999, 2000 and 2001, while 2001 also yielded the first Shiraz to be bottled under Bilton Wines own label. The exclusive Bilton Wines range is presently for sale on the estate, at the historic cellar which was recently converted into a spacious tasting room. Proof of the quality of the wine is the fact that the Merlot was the proud recipient of two silver medals, at the 2000 Veritas National Bottled Wine Show and the 2000 Michelangelo International Wine Awards. At Bilton Wines, their belief in the outstanding potential of the land is supported by a philosophy of continuous improvement and innovation. To this end, they will continue the vineyard upgrading program, aiming for at least 104 hectares of noble red cultivars by the year 2005. Their own small cellar is also in the pipeline where they will always strive to produce a niche range of rare wines, reflecting the distinctive character of the land.

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