Marklew

Boutique gravity on the Simonsberg

Marklew Family Wines is a compact, appointment-only cellar on the historic De Goede Sukses farm along Klapmuts Road (R44) at Muldersvlei, in Stellenbosch’s prestigious Simonsberg Ward. The Marklew family story begins in 1970, when Lyn and Dudley Marklew bought the scenic 45-hectare property and replanted dryland vineyards to noble cultivars—Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinotage, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc—selling fruit to KWV and other co-operatives while building deep-red soils into a serious wine address. Those early decades of grape farming set the agronomic foundation: dryland cultivation on remarkable deep red soil in what the family still calls one of South Africa’s premier wine-producing pockets.

In 2001 the parents retired to Hermanus and the second generation took the reins: Bill Marklew (Stellenbosch University honours in Finance and Economics) overseeing viticulture and finance, and Haidee Marklew fulfilling a childhood dream to make and market wine on the family farm. Today Marklew positions itself as limited-batch, high-quality family wine with traditional values and a distinctive cellar that visitors remember long after the tasting. Haidee’s public notes stress personal attention from vineyard to tasting; Bill frames the greatest wines as those shared by family and friends—an ethos that matches the appointment-only hospitality model.

The gravitational cellar

The heart of the visitor experience—and the brand’s technical signature—is the boutique gravitational cellar. In 2002 the family sympathetically restored a ~180-year-old cellar to press roughly 70 tons of red wine a year. Grapes are handpicked from selected rows, hoisted onto the flat cellar roof, hand-sorted again, gently destalked, then slide into specially lined concrete tanks for fermentation. Cap management uses plunging rather than pumping over; juices move by gravity into holding tanks below; skins receive a gentle press. Malolactic fermentation and maturation follow in selected French and American 300-litre oak for about 12–22 months before bottling under the family name.

This ancient, sympathetic approach is designed to keep juices unagitated and unstressed—no pump-over extraction drama—so colour, tannin and flavour integrate through skin contact over a 10–14 day dry ferment. For wine travellers used to stainless showpiece cellars, Marklew’s roof-to-tank choreography is the memorable differentiator: you understand why “gravitational” is not marketing fluff but a physical layout choice.

Winemaker Dirk Tredoux—trained at Elsenburg after formative time in Europe and California, with cellar experience at estates including Asara, Jordan, Vrede en Lust, Amani, D’Aria, Morgenhof and Fort Simon—emphasises vineyard quality and vintage character. His brief is consistency with climb: less stress on fruit, more expression of Simonsberg dryland red soils, working closely with viticulture so each wine is “built” in the vineyard before it ever sees concrete or oak.

What to taste

Expect a red-led portfolio built from the estate plantings: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Pinotage, Shiraz and Cabernet Franc, plus Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Directory and importer notes often highlight a flagship blend of Cabernet, Merlot, Shiraz and Pinotage—confirm current releases and vintages when you book, as boutique production means allocations shift year to year. Wines are sold from the farm and via export partners (Germany, Denmark, China and Namibia contacts appear on the official site), so local visitors who fall for a bottle should buy on the day rather than assume supermarket distribution.

Ask about barrel age profiles (the 12–22 month window), concrete versus oak influence, and how dryland stress shapes tannin and fruit concentration in warmer Simonsberg seasons. Limited batches mean the tasting is as much a conversation about site and season as a fixed flight menu.

Visit: appointment only

Marklew is not a walk-in tasting room. Official guidance is clear: open by appointment only for a private wine tasting and memorable tour of the gravitational cellar. Personal attention is the stated priority—from vineyard through cellar to the tasting table. Third-party directories sometimes invent weekday hours; treat those as unreliable against the official appointment rule.

• Address: De Goede Sukses, Klapmuts Road (R44), Muldersvlei
• GPS (official): S 33° 50’ 35.7” E 18° 51’ 50.3”
• Postal: PO Box 17, Elsenburg, 7607
• Haidee Marklew: +27 (0)83 659 9955
• Tel / Fax: +27 (0)21 884 4411 / +27 (0)21 884 4412
• Email: wine@marklew.co.za
• Website: marklew.co.za

Book ahead; do not assume public hours published on third-party directories override the official appointment rule. Sales enquiries can also go straight to wine@marklew.co.za if you already know which vintage you want.

Simonsberg itinerary fit

Marklew suits travellers who prefer intimate cellar storytelling over busy farm-gate plazas. Pair it with neighbouring Greater Simonsberg addresses on an R44 day—think structured Cabernet country—but keep Marklew as a booked private stop rather than an impulse detour. Allow time for the roof-to-tank gravity story; it is the differentiator versus larger Simonsberg estates with restaurants and walk-in flights. If your group values quiet conversation and technical cellar detail, this is a stronger fit than a high-throughput tasting bar.

Visit tips

• Always confirm appointment with Haidee before travelling
• Ask for the gravitational cellar tour—core brand experience
• Dryland deep-red soils and limited batches are the quality narrative
• Bring questions about concrete fermenters and 300 L oak programme
• Export markets mean some vintages sell out locally—buy if you love a bottle
• Combine with nearby Simonsberg estates; leave buffer for farm-gate navigation off the R44
• No published walk-in fee or public hours on the official site—plan as a private visit
• Mention export or collector interest if you want library or older-vintage guidance

FAQ

Where is Marklew Family Wines?

On De Goede Sukses, Klapmuts Road (R44), Muldersvlei, in the Simonsberg Ward of Stellenbosch.

Can I walk in for a tasting?

No—visits are by appointment only. Contact Haidee Marklew or wine@marklew.co.za.

What makes the cellar special?

A restored historic cellar designed so fruit and juice move largely by gravity, with concrete fermentation and plunging instead of stressful pumping over.