About
Amperbo Wines
Our Story
Amperbo means ‘almost at the top’ in Afrikaans. Situated at 480m elevation along the Bottelary hills, the vines appear to be stretching upward – as if aiming for something higher. Inspired by this sight, seasoned viticulturalist Pieter Smit and his wife Michelle endeavoured to do the same and realise their dream of transforming the vines into world-class wine. These wines are a testament to what can be achieved when you reach for the stars.
How we started
After graduating from the University of Stellenbosch with a degree in Viticulture and Oenology, Pieter Smit started his career as a viticulturist in 1989 at Oude Nektar Wine Estate. He had the opportunity to oversee the replanting of all the vineyards and worked closely with the late Prof. Eben Archer as well as Neil Ellis. Today those vineyards supply fruit for the sought-after Stark-Conde wines. After 20 years he and his family moved back to the farm, Amperbo, where he was born and raised. The farm is part of the well-known and beautiful undulating Bottelary Hills. Amperbo supplies top quality grapes to KWV, Kanonkop and Neil Ellis Wines for their award-winning wines.
It’s been a lifelong dream for Pieter and his wife, Michelle, to make wine from grapes grown on this farm under the Amperbo label. They started their planning and did all the applications in 2018 and in February 2021 the first grapes were crushed in an old shed with the minimum of equipment. Hand-crafted got a new meaning. The result were two wines, a Pinotage Tempranillo blend and a Bordeaux blend of which we are very proud. The Pinotage Tempranillo blend was entered for the Michelangelo Wine Awards this year and received a gold medal.
Passion
Only if you love what you do and are passionate about vines and wine you can farm grapes which will result in excellent quality and only then wines of excellence can be made.
Craftmanship
Working with some of the top wine makers as a supplier, I realised that making top quality wines is not just a craft or skill, but also an art.
Amperbo Wines
I realised that making top quality wines is not just a craft or skill, but also an art.
Sustainable Wine Making
At Amperbo, we pride ourselves on our commitment to sustainability and the use of renewable energy sources. Our vineyards and winery are powered by solar energy, harnessing the power of the sun to create exquisite wines with a green conscience. The result is a range of exceptional wines that not only delight the senses but also contribute to a cleaner and greener future.