We are thrilled to announce that Ernie Els Wines has been victorious in the recent 2024 Best of Wine Tourism Awards in the category of ‘architecture and landscaping’. 

This international competition celebrates innovation and excellence in wine tourism throughout the world’s greatest wine regions, including South Africa.

“Many congratulations to the whole team who work so hard to make our winery such a special place to visit,” commented Ernie. “Great job everyone! I look forward to seeing you all soon and raising a glass to celebrate this latest accolade.”

The Ernie Els Wines team’s commitment to excellence goes beyond the creation of exceptional wines; it is woven into every aspect of the winery and was the driving force behind the extensive renovations in 2020. Collaborating with Stellenbosch-based interior design studio, Rumour Has It, the team approached the transformation of its iconic building with the understanding that, much like the meticulous crafting of fine wines, creating remarkable experiences requires attention to detail and a profound appreciation for the subtleties that transform the ordinary into the extraordinary. 

In pursuit of this vision, the team collaborated with a diverse community of local artisans and skilled craftsmen, embracing a mix of talent and drawing inspiration from the surrounding region. Together, they created a breathtaking masterpiece that authentically captures the essence of the Helderberg – a sanctuary teeming with vibrant flora, diverse fauna, proud winemaking heritage and, of course, excellent Cabernet Sauvignon! 

“The essence of all art and design is to create things with luminous spirituality in them that actually take your breath away,” commented Hans von Staff-Reitzenstein, proprietor of Ernie Els Wines. “Our winery is a masterpiece and a landmark on the Helderberg Mountain – for me, it’s a slice of paradise. On behalf of Ernie Els and our dedicated team, we would like to thank you for awarding us as number one!” 

For more information on Ernie Els Wines, visit the website: https://ernieelswines.com/

Pictured above: Ernie and head winemaker Louis Strydom. 

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Ernie Els Wines’ four collections – Signature, Major Series, Big Easy and Proprietor’s – deliver iconic wines of characteristic style, exclusivity and generosity.

Whether applauding exceptional accomplishment, upping the entertainment game or toasting great friendship, Ernie Els Wines always make it an occasion par excellence.

The online shop at Ernie Els Wines opens the door to a world of premium wines, ranging from the crisp and fruity Chenin Blanc to the full-bodied Cabernet Sauvignon and Bordeaux-style Blend.

For South Africa sales, please click here.

For international sales, please click here.

Ernie pictured at the winery in 2023 with Ernie Els Wines’ award-winning head winemaker Louis Strydom. 

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With the festive season on the not-too-distant horizon, Ernie Els Wines has launched some gift box sets featuring some of its wines, including the award winning and iconic Bordeaux-style Signature blend (above).

The team has also announced that its recently released Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (pictured below) has received a Double Gold Medal in the prestigious Veritas Awards. 

Click here for more information or to place an order for any of the Ernie Els Wines Christmas Specials and indeed its wider portfolio of wines.

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All the latest releases, news and offers from the team at Ernie Els Wines.

1. The sun sets on another exciting year at Ernie Els Wines
And before we know it yet another year has slipped away and most of us have picked out our favourite bottles of wine, packed our holiday bags and are looking forward to spending time with the people we love. 2018 has been an interesting year for us at Ernie Els Wines. First and foremost it marks the 18th year since the first vintage of Ernie Els. Those of you with teenage children may relate this to the age your children reach adulthood and for some of us the time they leave the nest. For the golfers, it could mark the last hole of a round of golf. For us at the winery it has been a year in which new beginnings have commenced and in which we have been assured we have been doing the right things for the past 18 years.

As you probably know we closed the winery and cellar in July as we started our renovation project which will see us overhauling the tasting room and adding a brand new 120-seat restaurant with breathtaking vistas over Stellenbosch and all the way to Lions Head and Table Mountain. The project is coming along beautifully and we are still on track to open towards the end of 2019. While this project is going on it is business as usual for us and you will still be able to get all of your favourite wines through your normal channels.

Shortly after we had begun this exciting project, the awards and accolades started arriving. Firstly Tim Atkins’ scores arrived, which saw five of our wines scoring more than 90 Points. Shortly after that we were awarded as the best South African Cabernet Sauvignon at the International Wine and Spirits Competition in London, with a score of Gold Outstanding (93+). The following month our Proprietors Blend 2016 was not only awarded 5 Stars in the Platter Wine Guide but was also announced as the “Red Blend of the Year”.

We hope 2018 has been as exciting a year for you as it has been for us and wish you a relaxing holiday break. We look forward to welcoming you back to Ernie Els Wines towards the end of 2019, but hope that you will keep in touch with us and follow our progress.

Until then, enjoy the wines!

2. Ernie Els Wines proud to partner with Nedbank Golf Challenge
Ernie Els Wines was the proud wine sponsor of The Nedbank Golf Challenge for the second year running. The event has a stellar reputation, forming part of the European Tour’s prestigious Rolex Series, and this year attracted no less than four major champions. The title was eventually secured by Lee Westwood after an excellent performance in Sunday’s final round.

The tournament infrastructure takes more than four months to build, mainly due to the incredible hospitality suites which are built throughout the course. To compliment the beautiful setting and superb hospitality, guests were served Ernie Els Wines throughout the suites and VIP areas. With Ernie having won the tournament three times, it is the perfect partnership between world class golf and world class wine.

3. Ernie Els Wines embarks on successful tour of Europe 
As part of Ernie Els Wines ongoing commitment to sharing our finely crafted wines with the rest of the world, International Marketing Manager Tom Mills travelled to Europe to spend some time with our partners there.

His first stop was the “End of Summer” festival at Kapweine just outside of Zurich. Even though the weather may have decided that Summer was already long gone, the festival was well attended and along with a selection of some of South Africa’s finest producers he had a great time showing the wines from Ernie Els. Andy Zimmerman and his team specialise in bringing South African wines, amongst other products, into the country and have a wide selection available. The team went through great effort to create an authentic South African atmosphere to the whole affair and even went as far as setting up a number of braais attended to by a South African chef.  https://www.facebook.com/kapweine

From there it was a quick trip across to the Netherlands to meet up with Albert and Anita from Kaapwijnhuis. They are based just outside Amsterdam and specialise in importing small parcels of fine wine for select private clients.

From the Netherlands Tom journeyed to Frankfurt to meet up with Martin Baulmann who had planned a tasting that evening on his roof-top terrace for invited guests and it was a beautiful evening. The wines were singing and “Baule” put on quiet a performance himself. We were able to present the entire range and received an overwhelming response from everyone in attendance. https://weinbaule.de/

The last stop for the tour was to the little town of Kampenhout just outside of Brussels. Tom was joined by a number of other wineries from South Africa and many other countries for the Kaapwijn Annual Festival. https://www.facebook.com/pg/DeLeeuwKaapwijn/ .

Peter de Leeuw has been importing wine from all over the world for the last 40 years and has built the festival into an all-out party with multiple live bands, a children’s section, art displays and food trucks. It is serious fun, while enjoying some of the finest wines available in Belgium.

“The overall response from many of the people that tasted the wines was extremely positive and we have many more exciting events planned for the 2019 calendar year,” said Tom on his return to South Africa. “We hope to be back in Europe by the end of February so that we can show some of the new vintages to our various partners and their clients.”

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Ernie Els Wines Proprietors Blend 2016 has received a 5-star rating from the prestigious Platter Wine Guide, South Africa’s definitive wine buying guide.

“Huge congratulations to Louis Strydom and Leander Koekemoer and their respective teams for crafting yet another world class wine,” commented Ernie. “You guys are doing such a wonderful job.”

The Proprietors Blend has always been a special wine as it is the purest expression you will get of Ernie Els Wines in a bottle. A blend of all of the cultivars planted on the Estate, it is a true reflection of the meticulous attention to detail that is paid to the vineyards and the wine in the cellar.

“The 2016 is medium to full-bodied and the wine is strewn with black fruits, exotic spice and chards of dark chocolate. Spicy oak melts into a dense, powerfully-fruited and structured core. The majority Cabernet Sauvignon gives a cassis purity and salty edge, while the Shiraz component adds a meaty, savoury and spicy edge. The blend is rounded off by the remaining Bordeaux cultivars in a complexity explosion from start to finish. It is exquisitely textured and finely tuned, the 2016 will open up over the next five years and age for a decade or more.” – Roland Peens, Wine Cellar
 

Adding to this, below is a summary of accolades we have received on all of our current vintage wines…

Ernie Els Signature 2014
Top 10 South African Red Blend over the past 10 years according to:
2018 SA Wine Cellar Classification
93 Points – Tim Atkin
93 Points – Wine Magazine
Gold – IWSC – London

Proprietors Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
94 Points – Tim Atkin
Veritas Double Gold

Proprietors Syrah 2015
92 Points – Tim Atkin

Ernie Els Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Gold Outstanding (93+) – IWSC – London
Double Gold – Vitis Vinifera

Ernie Els Merlot 2015
91 Points – Wine Spectator

Ernie Els Big Easy Red Blend 2016
92 Points – Wine Magazine

Ernie Els Big Easy Chenin Blanc 2018
Gold – Vitis Vinifera

For more information please visit the website: ernieelswines.com.

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Winemaker and managing director Louis Strydom (pictured above) welcomes PGATOUR.COM to the Ernie Els Winery for a VIP visit and wine tasting.

Mike McAllister, the Managing Editor at PGATOUR.com, was visiting South Africa with his girlfriend over the Christmas and New Year period and seized on the opportunity to spend the day at Ernie Els Wines and to meet with Louis Strydom for a chat, wine tasting, lunch and tour of the property.

Louis recalled to Mike the science and the story of Ernie Els Wines, from the earliest tasting sessions with Ernie to the development and growth of the business, which now boasts an award-winning portfolio of wines, and also its future plans for expansion. Mike then later caught up with Ernie to discuss his passion for wine and how he and Louis work well together to create winning wines.

“It’s a whole team effort,” says Ernie. “I’m the owner/proprietor, but my knowledge is not totally there like it is with Louis. He’s a scientist. I could not have asked for any better guy than Louis. He’s the man, he’s the engine, he’s the everything of that set-up. For me to be able to put my name to a product you can be proud of is what it’s all about.”

In the article Mike writes that, ‘At age 46 and in the latter stages of his pro golf career, Els will one day spend less time inside the ropes and more time inside the cellar. His hobby has turned into a business. Whether it’s a club in his hand or a long-stemmed glass, his expectations are high’.

“Let’s see how close we can come to the perfect wine,” says Ernie.

Please click here to read the whole story.

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Ernie Els is one of many TOUR pros who have their own wine label. But which vintage reigns supreme?

The prestigious Golf Magazine in the US asked master sommelier Brian Cronin to blind taste five whites and seven reds from some of the game’s top players and to name the best in class. The result? Well, we’re proud to say that Ernie Els Wines came out on top in both categories. Watch the video here: http://bcove.me/0y9o3ylw

So we’ve popped a few corks here at the winery to celebrate!

For more information on the Ernie Els Wines portfolio, click here.

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The arrival of autumn at the Ernie Els Winery in Stellenbosch brings with it news of a bumper harvest, the release of an epic signature wine, and a mouth-watering new menu in the restaurant.

Indeed, this is always a busy and exciting time of the year at Ernie Els Wines. The 2015 vintage started with dry and warm conditions causing the grapes to race to ripeness. The almost perfect set period resulted in small and compact berries, which will lead to deep and concentrated wines. Early harvests normally mean great quality and Stellenbosch experienced the earliest harvest in four decades. Almost no rain during the harvest period ensured that the grapes were in perfect condition when picked. “We are extremely happy with the 2015 vintage,” comments winemaker Louis Strydom. “You can expect outstanding quality with an incredible ageing potential of the wines. We experimented with the basket pressing of hand selected super premium Cabernet Sauvignon to improve palate length and whole bunch fermentation of Syrah to provide a more spicy character.”

The team is excited also about the latest release of its flagship wine, Ernie Els Signature 2012, which continues Ernie Els and Louis Strydom’s vision of producing ultra-premium quality wine. Its predecessors have laid a solid foundation in establishing this wine as one of pedigree with the acquisition of global accolades.

Wine Cellar – Fine Wine Merchants & Cellarers’ wine specialist, Roland Peens writes: “The 2012 Cabernet Sauvignon-led Bordeaux-style blend really shines in the epic 2012 Stellenbosch vintage. It shows an intensely purple rim and deep crimson core, leading to impressive concentration and startling depth. Pure and elegant, the finish lingers with juicy cassis and a salty, mineral tail. This is not the most powerful of Ernie Els Signature’s, but it perhaps holds the most impressive structure and will provide for long aging ahead. Enjoy now through to 2027+.”

To order your wine for home delivery (South Africa only), please click here. Alternatively, for information on our network of international distributors and agents, click here.

Meanwhile, highlights on the new restaurant menu include dry-aged beef sirloin with mixed mustard spread, served with roasted cherry tomatoes and potato chips; the perfect accompaniment to the bold flavours of the Proprietor’s Blend. Or maybe you’d like to spice-up these chilly days with the Mexican Beef Burger served with crispy bacon, tequila jam, pickled jalapenos, and smoked jalapeno mayo topped with a slice of cheddar cheese. On the lighter side, try our green salad with crispy apple, crunchy celery, avocado, Danish feta and grilled chicken or our pulled pork wrap with pickled red onion and rocket.

The Ernie Els Wines tasting room is open from Monday to Saturday, 9am to 5pm, with lunch served from Tuesday to Saturday, 12pm to 3pm. For reservations please telephone (021) 881 3588 or email tastingroom@ernieelswines.com. For more of the latest news from Ernie Els wines, please click here.

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South Africa’s foremost and ultimate pocket-guide of the country’s wines, Platter’s Wine Guide, has once again lauded Ernie Els Wines and winemaker Louis Strydom with another 5-Star award at the launch of the 2015 edition.

Louis’ ‘Ernie Els CWG 2012’ – a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and Merlot, produced for the annual Cape Winemakers Guild Auction – was this year’s top performer. “It’s great news,” commented Ernie. “Louis and the team are doing such a fantastic job and of course it’s always gratifying to get this kind of recognition from a prestigious guide such as Platter’s.”

In fact, this latest 5-star award makes it six such illustrious honours for Louis and the winery since Ernie’s wines first became available to the public in late 2002. It’s also two in two years with the maiden vintage of the ‘Ernie Els Proprietor’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2011’ being last year’s recipient. An awards ceremony was held at the historic Mount Nelson Hotel in Cape Town on 27 October, which marked the release of the 2015 guide. This occasion garners some interest, not only to establish which wines achieved 5-Star status, but also to view which colour the publishers decide on to cover the guide (see below).

Also worth mentioning about the 2015 guide is that both the ‘Ernie Els Signature 2011’ and ‘Ernie Els Proprietor’s Cabernet Sauvignon 2012’ were nominated for 5-Star status, eventually ending up with a distinguished 4½-Star rating. Considering that all three wines were either a Cabernet Sauvignon-based blend (minimum 60%), or a straight Cabernet Sauvignon, it continues to suggest that this variety is tremendously suited to the terroir of the Helderberg within the appellation of Stellenbosch. Ernie Els Wines has a particular affinity toward this noble grape as the bulk of the property is covered by these vines and hence the focus on striving to produce world-class Cabernet Sauvignon is maintained.

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