Maanschijn

Maanschijn: moonlight wines and a Saturday Wine Garden

Maanschijn—from the Dutch for moonlight—is a young, artisanal wine project based at Stonefields on Route 43 (R43), Hermanus, 7200, in the cool Walker Bay district. Established 2017, the brand is the collaboration of co-founder winemakers Douglas Mylrea and Paul Hoogwerf. Official site: maanschijn.co.za. Email info@maanschijn.co.za · +27 (0) 72 859 1093.

Home-page messaging is concise: low-intervention wine from Walker Bay vineyards; naturally fermented; cool climate; two friends; proudly South African. The visitor product that the estate actually schedules in public is The Wine Garden—not a daily walk-in cellar door.

Two friends, one heritage cellar under Maanschynkop

Douglas and Paul attended high school and university together, studied winemaking in Stellenbosch, then travelled separately through cellars and vineyards worldwide (Douglas’s published experience includes Chile, California, France, and Portugal; Paul’s includes Spain, France, Portugal, England, and Greece). Paths crossed again; they co-founded Maanschijn inside a heritage building below the tall peak Maanschynkop, fermenting low-intervention wines from cooler Walker Bay fruit.

Company registration published in the site footer: Maanschijn (Pty) Ltd, 2017/365429/07.

The Wine Garden: Saturdays and public holidays 11:00–15:00

Event detail pages for Picnics at The Wine Garden state clearly:

• Open: Saturdays and Public Holidays 11:00–15:00
• Example closed dates noted on a 2026 event page: 24, 25 & 26 December 2025
• Location: Stonefields, R43, Hermanus, 7200

Picnics are weather permitting; unfavourable conditions are communicated in advance. Cancellations more than 24 hours ahead are refunded in full. Right of admission reserved.

This is a reservation culture: dappled shade under trees or umbrellas, picnic blankets or benches, hospitality from the Team. A bring-your-own picnic blanket policy is welcomed.

Picnic platter and wines from the Cellar

The Picnic Platter (event pricing published at R500, VAT included) caters for three to four people and typically includes local and artisanal cheeses, biltong, olives, bread, and condiments (wording varies slightly between ticket blurb and longer description—biltong appears on the fuller event text). For larger groups, one platter is recommended per three to four guests. Queries on catering, allergies, and custom bookings should go directly to the Team.

Herbarium Collection and Brunch Club wines are available for purchase and enjoyment from the Cellar. The online store (as fetched) lists examples such as Brunch Club Méthode Ancestrale, Herbarium Cape Red, Herbarium White, and Luma Sauvignon Blanc—case and bottle availability changes; use the live store.

Cellar tasting on request—not a daily walk-in bar

Official picnic event copy is unambiguous: wine tastings are available upon request, and are offered only in the Cellar. Do not market Maanschijn as an everyday Hemel-en-Aarde-style tasting room. Come for a reserved Saturday/PH Wine Garden picnic; ask for a cellar tasting if you want a structured pour.

Fitting Maanschijn into a Walker Bay day

• Book a Saturday or public-holiday picnic slot (11:00–15:00 window) via the site’s event reservation flow or by contacting the Team.
• Combine with weekday or Sunday stops elsewhere on the R43 / Hemel-en-Aarde circuit—Maanschijn’s garden is not your midweek backup.
• If you specifically want a tasting flight, request cellar tasting when you reserve; do not assume garden seating equals a full tasting menu.

Practical contacts

• Website: https://www.maanschijn.co.za/
• Address: Stonefields, Route 43, Hermanus, 7200
• Email: info@maanschijn.co.za
• Phone: +27 (0) 72 859 1093
• Wine Garden: Saturdays & public holidays 11:00–15:00 (weather permitting; festival closures as published)
• Picnic platter: R500 for 3–4 (per event ticket)—confirm current price when booking
• Tasting: on request, Cellar only—not daily walk-in
• People: Douglas Mylrea & Paul Hoogwerf
• Styles: low-intervention Walker Bay wines; Herbarium & Brunch Club ranges; Méthode Ancestrale among offerings

Maanschijn’s moonlight brand is best experienced slowly—under a Stonefields tree, on a booked Saturday, with a platter and a bottle from the Cellar.

Low intervention in practice—what that means for visitors

Maanschijn’s public language—“naturally fermented; cool climate; two friends”—is not decoration. Expect wines shaped for freshness rather than heavy extraction, poured or sold from the Cellar beside the Wine Garden. The Brunch Club Méthode Ancestrale and Herbarium white and red cases on the store underline a portfolio that spans ancestral sparkling through still Walker Bay expressions; Luma Sauvignon Blanc appears as a separate white SKU. Always check the live store for vintage and case pricing before citing rand figures in itineraries.

Because the project sources Walker Bay fruit into a heritage cellar under Maanschynkop, the picnic venue at Stonefields on the R43 is the guest-facing address—not a claim that every vine block sits inside the picnic fence. SEO and maps should pin Stonefields, Route 43, Hermanus, 7200 for visits, and leave vineyard GPS as unpublished unless the estate later releases it.

How to reserve without treating it as a walk-in cellar door

1. Open the Wine Garden / event reservation flow on maanschijn.co.za or email info@maanschijn.co.za. 2. Choose a Saturday or public holiday inside the 11:00–15:00 window. 3. Order picnic platters to match party size (one platter per three to four guests). 4. If you want a structured tasting, request cellar tasting in the same message—remember it is on request and cellar-only. 5. Note dietary needs early; the Team handles allergies and custom catering queries directly. 6. Bring a picnic blanket if you prefer your own; shade from trees and umbrellas is offered on site. 7. Watch weather: the experience is weather permitting, with advance notice if conditions turn.

Social channels linked from the site include Facebook (maanschijnwijn) and Instagram (maanschijnwijn) for journey updates—useful when event calendars roll forward through 2026 picnic dates.

Walker Bay context without overselling neighbours

Stonefields sits on the Hermanus–Stanford R43 corridor, so Maanschijn pairs naturally with Walker Bay days that already include Hemel-en-Aarde mornings or Stanford afternoons. Keep expectations honest: this is a weekend Wine Garden with optional cellar tasting, not a seven-day tasting lounge. That honesty is what makes the stop feel special when the reservation lands.