The soil here is composed of sandy loam with flint stone and loamy clay in the deeper layers, which is a favourable combination for minerality in the wines. The south-facing slopes mean the grapes are exposed to maximum sunlight. And when the wind blows up the slopes, it causes the grapes to dry faster, which also benefits the quality of the wines.

The fewer bunches the vine has to feed, the more intense the flavour. Therefore, we deliberately limit the yield per vine. It takes some discipline and a bit more patience, but the result in the glass is well worth it.

We mow and hoe the soil in such a way that we don't need to use soil herbicides. By planting mixed hedges, we provide shelter for the natural predators of harmful insects.

When I was  a boy, I gathered seeds from marigolds and planted them. Every day I would go and see how they were doing and if they had grown. So it was written in the stars that I would go to horticultural college. I am one of those people of whom it is said "he has green fingers", but actually they are brown. I always have soil under my nails.

The plant nursery is mine and Patricia's 'baby'. Plants are not much different from animals: you have to be there for them. You live according to the seasons and the elements of nature. You run a business, but one with live products. It is a very natural, intense existence.

Everything has now come together at Ravenstein Wine Estate. We planted the first vine on 5 May 2017, it was a sunny Friday. We planted 2.5 ha, 11,000 on the southern flanks of Americaberg. From now on, those grapes play the leading role at Ravenstein. Our ambition is to vinify them as naturally as possible with patience and calm.

What could be better than having people enjoy our passion? We want to involve people, for them to experience the story of our wine estate, which we created with such enthusiasm. A story that begins in the vineyard and ends in the glass, in a first-class wine.

Put on your walking shoes and come and see how the wine ripens on the vines. Come and soak up the atmosphere. And taste the wine of course, that goes without saying! Once you have walked on the slopes among the vines, felt the sun and wind and been charmed by the panoramic views, you will take home not only the wine, but also Ravenstein's story.