Organically farmed, family estate wines of daring Cold Mountain in the Cape South Coast by acclaimed brothers Wade and Brett Sander in pursuit of excellence and sustainability.
Winemaker
Wade Sander
After over two years of searching the Cape Winelands, Brett and Wade Sander acquired Cold Mountain Vineyards in September 2016, transforming their winemaking vision into reality. Located 17 kilometers east of Stanford in the Sondagskloof valley on South Africa's Cape South Coast, the 417-hectare farm features 17 hectares of vineyards alongside fig and vegetable operations. The property's pristine fynbos landscape is home to the rare Brunia laevis (Silver Brunia) plant, which inspired the winery's distinctive name and brand identity. Brunia is a Black-owned estate.
The Sander brothers have completely reimagined the farm as an organic and biodynamic operation committed to sustainable viticulture. Their philosophy centers on the conviction that outstanding wines require exceptional grapes, driving significant investments in soil health and sustainable farming practices despite reduced yields and higher costs during the conversion process.
Wade developed his winemaking expertise through training at Elsenburg Agricultural College and prestigious roles with renowned producers including Mullineux & Leeu Family Wines and Loire Valley masters. Brett brings extensive knowledge in organic agriculture and agroecology, having established the NGO Afrivival and served on the South African Organic Sector Organization Board. Together they have positioned Brunia as a working model for sustainable development through agroecology, one of the most daring projects in the Western Cape, producing wines in very small quantities that are drawing great acclaim.
Attributes
Sondagskloof · Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
Brunia WebsiteSpotlight - Cold Mountain Vineyards
The fynbos that gave Brunia its name
Wade and Brett Sander acquired Cold Mountain Vineyards in 2016 after a six-month negotiation, a small farm hidden in a remote valley 17 km east of Stanford that drains westward toward the Atlantic through the Uilenkraal River. The name Brunia comes from Brunia laevis, the silver fynbos shrub native to the Cape South Coast that grows across the farm's pristine slopes. It is the plant that inspired the winery's name and its brand identity.
The Sondagskloof ward is one of the Cape's coolest, with intense ocean influence and rugged fynbos surrounding every block. Now farming organically and biodynamically, Wade and Brett produce Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Semillon and Syrah from sites that few other producers in South Africa work. The wines carry the brisk salinity and aromatic clarity of vines pushed by the South Atlantic, a quiet, persistent answer to what cool climate winemaking can be at the bottom of Africa.
The Wines
Where they sit on the Cape
Brunia on the producer map
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