Luca und Ingrid Bein 

After 20 years of stolen visits to the sunny South African shores, the Beins finally succumbed to their love and bought a plot deep in the heart of the Winelands, called Petrus Place. And it wasn't long after, that they shut up shop as veterinary doctors in Switzerland and put down their roots in the rich African soil for once and for all.

With wine as an everlasting passion, they decided to go back to University - two unlikely students -attending lectures at the renowned University of Stellenbosch, where they were each awarded B.Sc. degrees in viticulture and oenology. Finally in 2002, they produced their very own wine from the deep, granite rich soil of Petrus Place.

From the outset, the Beins intended to produce an excellent wine.

Naturally limited to exclusive quantities, it should express best possibly its true origin - variety, locality, vintage. Best described as a non-conformist wine, their Merlot is the product of hands-on love and a single plot vineyard, which allows for optimum expression of the terroir.

In the cellar, emphasis is laid on the gentle treatment of the fruit, from handpicking to modern extraction methods and pressing by means of a basket press. Malolactic fermentation and further maturation takes place in small oak barrels selected from top French cooperages. And not a single process goes untouched by them.

Anina Guelpa

Anina constituted very strong competition for the winner of “South Africa’s 2005 Landbouweekblad Woman Winemaker of the Year”.

Her Anatu Shiraz 2003 is a real option to wines at a much higher price. The Kiwi-esque name “Anatu” can be forgiven when you find out the wine is made by a charming this woman. She won the Garagiste Trophy with it at last year’s Michelangelo International Wine Awards (Which is a bit of magical realism itself, being named after an OTT Sandton Hotel, yet held in the Cape.) Rarely has the produce of a garage tasted as elegant and the lady herself says “the wine will complement spicy dishes particularly well”, handing our chef a Moroccan option.

Therese de Beer

After obtaining her degree in Viticulture and Enology from Stellenbosch University in 1999, Therese travelled to South Australia where she worked and trained at Tatachilla Winery in McLaren Vale. Following this, she travelled to California where she worked as a cellar hand at Zaca Mesa Winery for their 2000 winemaking season.

She returned to South Africa at the end 2000 where she was appointed Assistant Winemaker at Zevenwacht Wine Estate in Stellenbosch. Therese soon felt the travel bug bite once again and this led her to accept a post as a trainee manager for a large wine retailer, Majestic Wine Warehouse, in London. Therese finally returned home for good in 2002 where she was offered a position as Assistant Winemaker at the historical Groot Constantia Wine Estate.

It was only in 2004 that Therese joined Doolhof as Head Winemaker. This would prove to be a challenging, yet rewarding position as the cellar was in the process of being constructed and there was no prior winemaking history on the farm.

“I truely believe that Doolhof has the potential to become one of South Africa’s top Wine Estates. I have made it my mission to create beautiful wines here and to be one of the key role players in contributing to the success of the business.”

Therese, who married in 2007, lives in Wellington with her husband and two Miniature Schnauzers, Schatzi and Roxy.

Lukas Wentzel

The Pentz family, owners of the Groote Post Wine Estate, have been involved in farming for 100 years, mostly in the dairy industry. The 4000 ha property is located up the West Coast, 1 hour from Cape Town outside the town of Darling.

Lukas has been winemaker at Groote Post since 2000 and has now completed more than 9 vintages at the farm. He was and he is very successful in wine making and his creations have been rewarded with numerous wine awards both local and international. The main focus of Lukas at Groote Post is on Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay on white wines and Shiraz and Merlot on red wines.

Lukas graduated from Elsenburg Agricultural College in 1997 as qualified winemaker. He then worked from 1998 to 2000 at La Motte Wine Estate in Franschhoek as assistant winemaker to Jacques Borman. In 1998 he worked for a year in the in France, Rhone Valley, where he gained tremendous experience in working with Shiraz, for which Rhone area is famous for.

In 2002 he also worked a harvest in Sonoma, California, at Dry Creek Vineyards.

With Lukas as winemaker Groote Post has grown from strength to strength. His philosophy of winemaking is all about balance, from the vine to the bottle. This philosophy also reflects on his character. Lukas is married to Tersia, and they have a son, Wian.