Neil Ellis Wines is a family owned winery that has been at the forefront of the South African wine industry for forty years, producing wines of the utmost quality and elegance.
Unlike many other wine producers and estates, Neil has been mindful that no single vineyard can satisfy the needs of all grape varieties. He thus set out to identify distinct terroirs and climates in which individual varietals will excel. Today they produce grapes in Elgin, Stellenbosch, Groenekloof and Piekernierskloof – a more varied set of biomes would be hard to find.
What is common to all the vineyards is the emphasis on caring viticultural practises. Neil Ellis Wines is a certified sustainable winery and, to quote their website, they “respect the soil, cut water use, recycle, and reduce energy use and greenhouse emissions in our daily practice.”
Their single vineyard and single block vines that have been placed in an optimum location for their varietal together with Neil Ellis’ excellent wine making skills have resulted superb wines that have won their fair share of awards.
Wines
Neil Ellis’ flagship wine is the Jonkershoek Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 from the Stellenbosch region. This multi award winning wine is well balanced and will age very well.
Speaking of age, I particularly enjoy a well-aged, medium-rare steak. Top sirloin, with a rim of fat, is my cut of choice. On a recent visit to a great steak restaurant I paired my sirloin with a bottle of 2019 Neil Ellis Cabernet Sauvignon and it proved to be a great choice.
The Cabernet Sauvignon was particularly dry and complemented the juicy steak admirably. For more on the tasting notes of 2017, 2018 and 2019 years click Here.
Piekenierskloof Grenache 2019 comes from the oldest Grenache vineyard in the country and yields a limited amount each year that has consistently produced award winning Grenache since 2007.
Their Lifestyle wines, West Coast Sauvignon Blanc 2023, with ripe fruit flavours and Wild Flower Cinsaut Rose 2023, with floral and spicy notes, are perfect to be enjoyed at a braai or summer lunch.
Webb Ellis 2013 is deep red in colour with a dark core and red and black fruits with liquorice and cedar notes.
Op sy moer. By keeping this on the lees the wine is better preserved and during maturation a richness and texture develops with secondary aromas and flavours giving the wine more complexity.
Wine Tasting
Three tasting options are offered at the Neil Ellis Winery, namely their Exclusive Tasting, Site-Specific Tasting and their Premium Tasting. You can choose to pair your wine tasting with a platter from their menu.
Exclusive Tasting: This includes two unique and exclusive wines – Webb Ellis and Op sy moer.
Site Specific Tasting: These five wines come from allocated designated vineyards from four primary sites.
Premium Tasting: This includes four wines from their award-winning premium range.
With each bottle they invite you to embark on a sensory journey experiencing the flavours, aromas and textures that reflect the harmony between nature and wine making.
Contact Details
For more information or to make a wine tasting booking call +27 21 887 0649 or email info@neilellis.com
Neil Ellis Wines may be found at R310 Helshoogte Road, Stellenbosch, South Africa. Find them on Google Maps.
Facebook: @NeilEllisWine
Instagram: @NeilEllisWines
