Thistle & Weed

Thistle & Weed: Jonkershoek tasting for a Cape négociant brand

Thistle & Weed is a Stellenbosch-based boutique négociant / brand founded in 2015 by the Terblanche and Wiid families, led by viticulturist Etienne Terblanche and winemaker Stephanie Wiid. It is not a classic single-estate wine farm with all its vineyards on one gate. The team sources parcels across the Cape—Stellenbosch, Paarl, Swartland and beyond—then crafts wines named after colloquial Afrikaans “thistles and weeds” that grow among the vines: Brandnetel, Duwweltjie, Springdoring, Khakibos, Nastergal, Knapsekêrel and related cuvées.

For visitors, the important correction is where tasting actually happens. After years of improvised cellar encounters (the brand’s own anniversary writing recalls unconventional tastings on an upturned basket press), they opened a dedicated tasting room in early 2024 on Leef op Hoop Farm, Jonkershoek Road, Stellenbosch—an intimate stoep-and-cellar setting with mountain views, not a roadside walk-in barn on every wine-route map. Swirl and Spice’s January 2026 visit note likewise stresses booking by appointment in that intimate cellar with stoep views toward Table Mountain.

Verified tasting packages (book online)

Official book-online and service pages (thistleandweed.co.za) list:

• Thistle & Weed Exclusive — R180 per person, 6 wines, guided tasting in the intimate cellar or on the stoep; tables deliberately limited for a personalised encounter.
• Artisanal cheese and charcuterie platter — R330 (serves 2); pre-order to guarantee availability; service page lists 2 hr duration context for the platter booking.

Cancellation / reschedule: at least 48 hours ahead (official platter/cancellation policy)—platters are prepared for freshness and to limit food waste.

Contact / booking:

• Book: https://www.thistleandweed.co.za/book-online
• Email: info@thistleandweed.co.za
• Phone: 083 564 4950
• Address context on service pages: Jonkershoek Road, Mostertsdrift / Leef op Hoop Farm area, Stellenbosch

Session times (confirm when you book)

An official “Behind the Bottle” blog post (September 2024) states the tasting room is open Thursday to Saturday at 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00. Treat that as the brand’s published session pattern, and still book online—limited tables mean walk-ins are unreliable. If your dates fall outside those slots, ask by email or phone rather than assuming daily Monday–Sunday hours like a large tourist estate.

What you are tasting (brand identity)

Official site storytelling:

• Inspiration from hardy vineyard weeds and the tenacity of vines.
• Whites: whole-bunch pressing, natural fermentation in older French oak for freshness.
• Reds: mixes of destemmed whole berries, crushed berries and whole bunches in open-top tanks, then older French oak.
• Named cuvées include Brandnetel (Stellenbosch Chenin), Duwweltjie (Paarl old-vine Chenin), Springdoring (Swartland Chenin), Khakibos (Western Cape white blend inspired by Portuguese varieties), Nastergal (dark red blend), and Knapsekêrel (biodynamically farmed Stellenbosch Cabernet Franc).

Secondary coverage also mentions newer sparkling and fortified experiments—ask which six wines appear in the Exclusive flight on your date; the line-up rotates with stock. The point of the naming system is place and personality, not a generic “Stellenbosch tasting flight” of house Cabernet only. Chenin Blanc is clearly a house muse across multiple origin sites; Portuguese-leaning blends show how the brand thinks about warm-climate resilience.

Négociant reality vs “estate day-trip” expectations

Portal geography labels Thistle & Weed under Jonkershoek / Stellenbosch because that is where you taste. Fruit comes from grower relationships and carefully managed parcels elsewhere. Do not expect a single contiguous vineyard tour of every named cuvée’s origin block on one property. Expect a brand cellar experience: storytelling about weeds, soils and growers, poured in an intimate Jonkershoek foothill room.

That distinction matters for SEO and for itineraries: pair Thistle & Weed with other Jonkershoek or Stellenbosch Valley stops, but book the Exclusive tasting as a fixed appointment, then build the rest of the day around confirmed slots. Ignore aggregator pages that imply a classic estate walk-in without checking thistleandweed.co.za. Also ignore any assumption that “Stellenbosch négociant” means a Distillery Road warehouse tasting—this brand’s visitor home is Jonkershoek Road at Leef op Hoop.

How to fit it into a Stellenbosch day

1. Book the 10:00, 12:00 or 14:00 Thursday–Saturday session online. 2. Pre-order the cheese & charcuterie platter if you want food on site. 3. Arrive with time for Jonkershoek Road traffic and parking at Leef op Hoop. 4. Keep groups small—limited tables are part of the product. 5. Honour the 48-hour cancel/reschedule rule if plans change.

FAQ

Is Thistle & Weed an estate vineyard I can just drive to?

It is a brand with a Jonkershoek tasting room on Leef op Hoop Farm. Vineyards for the range are sourced more widely. Visit for the booked tasting, not for an unguided farm stroll across every parcel.

Can I walk in without booking?

Official messaging emphasises limited tables and online booking. Walk-ins are a gamble—book.

Are the R180 / R330 prices still current?

They are the figures published on the official book-online and platter service pages at research time. Confirm at checkout when you reserve.

Where exactly is tasting held?

Leef op Hoop Farm, Jonkershoek Road, Stellenbosch (opened early 2024 per the brand’s 10-year anniversary post)—not a generic Stellenbosch CBD shop.