Kleine Oranjerie

South Africa

Franschhoek is postcard-pretty, all mountains and old oaks, but Kleine Oranjerie's real interest lies further afield. This producer doesn't confine itself to the valley's borders, instead ranging across Paarl and the wider Western Cape in search of vineyards with real character, particularly the region's oldest vines. It's an approach I've always admired: rather than treating a single estate as gospel, they go looking for what the Cape does best, plot by plot. That searching spirit shows in the name given to their main range: Flora and Fauna, a nod to the extraordinary biodiversity surrounding these vineyards. It's a fitting name, because the whole philosophy here is about letting that natural variety speak through the glass rather than smoothing it into something generic. The winemaking is deliberately hands-off. Grapes are pressed gently, fermentation happens naturally, and there's a clear preference for old vineyards, sites over 35 years old, some tracing back to plantings from the early 1900s. Old vines like these produce smaller, more concentrated berries and wines with a depth younger plantings simply can't match. It's a slower, more patient way of making wine, but the results justify it. The Paarl vineyards feeding the Flora and Fauna range each tell their own story. Merlot comes from sandy loam soils, which tend to produce softer wines with gentle, approachable tannins. Viognier is grown on sandstone, a soil type that helps retain the grape's perfumed aromatics without tipping into heaviness. Both wines carry Wine of Origin Western Cape status, reflecting fruit drawn from across the region rather than a single vineyard. I like Kleine Oranjerie because it represents something quintessentially South African: a willingness to look beyond the famous names and find quality wherever old vines and good soil happen to meet. For UK drinkers exploring beyond Stellenbosch's big-hitters, this is a producer worth getting to know. Honest, thoughtfully made wines with a genuine sense of place, delivered straight to your door here in the UK.

The Kleine Oranjerie Story

Kleine Oranjerie's story is less about a single estate and more about a search across the Cape winelands. Rather than being tied to one patch of ground, the producer set out from its Franschhoek base to find vineyards scattered across Paarl and the wider Western Cape, seeking sites with genuine age and character rather than convenience.

That search led them, again and again, back to old vines. Vineyards over 35 years old were the priority from the start, some going back to plantings from the early 1900s. In a country where old bush vines and decades-old blocks are increasingly prized (and increasingly rare, since many were grubbed up over the years in favour of higher-yielding varieties) this was a deliberate stance. It meant working with growers who had kept faith with older plantings rather than chasing volume.

The name Flora and Fauna, given to the range that now defines Kleine Oranjerie, reflects this same guiding idea: that the Cape's vineyards are as much a part of its natural heritage as its famous fynbos and wildlife. The wines are meant to showcase that variety, plot by plot, rather than flatten it into a single house style.

Winemaking has followed a similarly unshowy path throughout: gentle pressing, natural fermentation, minimal intervention. It's a philosophy built on trust, trust in old vines, in specific soils, and in letting fruit express itself without heavy-handed cellar work.

Today, that approach lives on in wines like the Paarl Merlot, grown on sandy loam, and the Viognier, grown on sandstone, both carrying Wine of Origin Western Cape status. Together they capture what Kleine Oranjerie has always been about: a patient, curious hunt across the Cape for vineyards worth celebrating.

Winemaking Philosophy

Kleine Oranjerie's approach starts with a simple belief: the Cape's old vineyards have earned the right to speak for themselves. Rather than chasing a house style, the team sources fruit from across the Western Cape, from Franschhoek to Paarl, seeking out vines over 35 years old, some planted as far back as the early 1900s. These aren't showpiece plots. They're often overlooked corners of the Cape that happen to hold onto vine age most producers can only dream of.

Once the grapes arrive, the winemaking gets deliberately quiet. Gentle pressing and natural fermentation mean less interference and more trust in what the vineyard has already done. There's no attempt to force flavour or polish away character. The soils get to have their say too: sandy loams in Paarl give the Merlot its plush, generous fruit, while sandstone sites nearby lend the Viognier its perfume and lift.

The result is a range, aptly named Flora and Fauna, that reads like a snapshot of the Cape's natural diversity rather than a single winemaker's signature. It's an approach built on patience and restraint, letting old vines and varied soils do the talking, with winemaking that stays firmly out of the way.

For UK drinkers curious about South African wine beyond the obvious names, this is a producer worth knowing: proof that some of the Cape's most honest wines come from simply listening to what's already growing.