Franschhoek's wine growing heritage dates back to the 17th century, when the French Huguenots planted the first vines in the valley. Over the ensuing period the Franschhoek wine industry has seen many changes and ridden many waves. A Phylloxera outbreak in the late 19th century destroyed most of the vineyards in the valley and many of the farms were replanted to fruit. Fortunately however, the wine growing tradition has survived and La Providence is proud to be one of the boutique producers in this prestigious valley that has been producing wine since 2000.
Only Cabernet Sauvignon vines are planted on the estate and with just 2.16 hectares under vines, total production is a mere 750 cases per annum. With such a limited quantity, the wine is in great demand and is presently supplied to a select list of clients in Hong Kong, Mallorca and the United Kingdom.
Despite having only a few harvests under the belt, the estate has managed to produce top quality wine by utlilising the skills and knowledge of top local artisans. These include well known viticulturist Pietie Le Roux and top winemaker Nigel McNaught. Pietie is better known as the viticulturist at La Motte estate, just outside Franschhoek, while Nigel is the owner and winemaker of nearby Stony Brook.
With no wine cellar on the estate, the grapes are taken to Stony Brook for vinification. It is here that Nigel McNaught works his magic….