While winter settles heavily over the UK, the vineyards of Franschhoek are living through another kind of intensity. Summer in the Cape brings generosity and ripeness, but it also brings risk. Recent fires in the valley are a reminder that this remarkable corner of the world, for all its beauty, exists in close dialogue with nature.
Drinking these wines now is more than seasonal escapism. It’s a way of staying connected to a place that gives so much, even when conditions are challenging. Supporting estates like Holden Manz, estates rooted deeply in their land and community, matters, particularly in moments like these.
Set between the Franschhoek River and Stony Brook, Holden Manz captures the valley at its most expressive. The 22-hectare estate is a balance of refinement and resolve, where hospitality, farming, and winemaking are treated with equal seriousness. Cellarmaster Thierry Haberer together with newly appointed winemaker Emil Kluge brings Old World discipline, shaped by Bordeaux training and work alongside Michel Rolland, to a distinctly South African landscape, working with wild yeasts, careful micro-fermentation, and an unwavering focus on phenolic ripeness.
The resulting wines are generous but controlled, confident yet precise, a style that has earned Holden Manz consistent acclaim, including multiple five-star Platter’s selections and international recognition across key releases.
Now newly added to our current sale, the Holden Manz Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 and Barrel Fermented Chardonnay 2020 arrive at prices that feel almost as unlikely as the timing itself. These are not discounted because they lack merit, but because moments occasionally arise where quality, provenance, and value align.
In choosing them, you’re not only bringing a little Cape summer into winter, you’re also supporting a valley that continues to produce extraordinary wines, even in the face of adversity.
Unlikely Franschhoek Wines
Holden Manz
94 Points – Greg Sherwood MW
“Rich bold and dark fruited, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon has a multi-layered structure brimming with aromas of sweet damson plum, ripe black currant and macerated black cherries. Deliciously sweet fruited on the palate, there is a fine vein of bright acidity running beneath the ripe black berry fruits that harmoniously integrate with plush fleshy tannins and well-integrated, measured oaking. An accomplished wine from this noteworthy Cape vintage. Drink now to 2035+.” – Greg Sherwood MW.
This 100% barrel-fermented Chardonnay was made using natural yeast and aged for 11 months in French oak. The wine has a bright, lemony green color and a lively nose with mineral overtones, followed by aromas of stone fruit, roasted almonds, and a hint of lemon meringue. On the palate, it offers a refined creaminess from lees contact, balanced by elegant citrus and white blossom flavours, complemented by minerality, subtle salinity, and complex acidity. The result is a smooth, lingering finish with impressive length.
