Trading Hours
| Monday to Saturday: 11h00 – 17h00. Always a good idea to call as we are a small team! Public Holidays: By appointment only. Closed on Good Friday, Christmas, Boxing & New Year’s |
General info
| Proprietor: Axe Hill Winery (Pty) Ltd General Manager: Mike Neebe Winemaker: Mike Neebe Viticulturist: Mike Neebe Marketing: Mike Neebe |
Area under vines: 1.3 ha Production: 6 to 9 tons Brands: Axe Hill, Gatos Wines: Barrel fermented dry white wines: Chenin Blanc, Colombard, Viognier and unusual dry blends made from the vineyards in and around Calitzdorp. Dry reds made from traditional Portuguese cultivars. Port; Ruby, White, Vintage and Late Bottled Vintage (LBV) watch out for a Tawny! Wine Tourism: Visitors welcome during open time. Light tapas is also available by reservation, including farm bread, olives and hummus, followed by mouth-watering Iberian dishes. |
More about us
The Axe Hill vineyard was 30 years old in 2024! Planted in 1994 by Tony & Lyn Mossop, Mike Neebe took over the property in 2007 and since then Mike has enjoyed 18 harvests on the farm, as well as a harvest stint working in Portugal in the Douro valley in 2010.
Calitzdorp is affectionately known as “the Port Capital of South Africa”. The unique micro-climate prevalent in the region is characterized by dry, arid conditions which add to the overall concentration of Portuguese varieties grown there. 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 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 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! Barrel fermented Colombard is a new addition!
Chenin Blanc grapes are also used to produce a 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. It continues to grow in complexity each year in the barrels.
Apart from Cape Ruby Port, Cape Vintage Port and LBV, a periodic Shiraz Red – as well as some other unique dry reds, the cellar will soon release its eighth vintage of its flagship Machado (meaning axe in Portuguese) – (2021) a unique Dry Red blend made from Portuguese varietals; Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz & Tinta Barroca.
A new label, GATOS – meaning cats in Portuguese – named after the farm cats, has become an experimental range.
Meet the winemaker
Mike Neebe
Mike Neebe is the winemaker at Axe Hill. He started making wine at Axe Hill in 2008 and his experience includes a harvest stint at RAMOS PINTO in Portugal in 2010.
His favourite wine from the cellar
Mike’s current favourite wine at Axe Hill is undoubtedly the blend known as Machado – which has been described as the “vinous equivalent of sheepskin slippers…” one of a kind, a bold, food-friendly wine made in a classical style.
Facts about Mike you probably did not know
He is married to Pam, loves great food and classical music in the cellar, and particularly working with the wines in the tranquillity of the Klein Karoo inside his rustic cellar.
