Villiera Wines

Villiera Estate takes its name from the Villiers family, former owners of this property and many others in the Paarl and Stellenbosch regions. However, in 1975, it was purchased by Helmut Ratz who, together with Joseph Krammer, an experienced viticulturist, refurbished and extended the original cellar and planted the land to a range of quality grape varieties. In 1983 the Grier family took over a thriving estate and it is since their purchase that Villiera has really come of age. It has quadrupled in size over recent years under the guidance of cousins Jeff and Simon Grier.

In the past 15 years viticulturist Simon Grier has elevated the fruit-quality of the 300 hecatres of vineyards on a flat stretch of apparently unremarkable soils between Paarl and Stellenbosch. The estate is an anomaly as far as its location is concerned; it is sited at Paarl, yet many regard it as part of Stellenbosch. To compound this, the "ward" stated on all Villiera labels changed from Paarl to Stellenbosch from 2002 onwards.

At Villiera the underlying philosophy is to ensure that the wines reflect the specific character of the terroir, as well as the unique characteristics of each vintage. In addition, techniques are utilised in the cellar to develop and retain the distinct varietal aromas and flavours. The Griers stress picking date as one of the most crucial decisions of their work, checking pips and stems are ripe, and that sugars and acids are optimum.