Delheim - Worth the Journey
Ref: Delheim History
1699 DriesprongHigh up on the southwestern slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain, named after Governor Simon van der Stel, one finds the land known as Drie Sprong.It was originally home to a Dutch East India Company servant, whose job it was to fire a cannon from the peak directly above the property, appropriately named Kanonkop. This cannon was the third in a relay from Cape Town, via Koeberg, signaling the arrival of any foreign vessels in Table Bay. The Free Burghers of the surrounding areas would then hurry to Cape Town and trade with the visitors or defend the town against attack.
1699 - 1939 A farm carved from the landOn 28 February 1699, Governor Willem Adriaan van der Stel granted the freehold of a piece of land, 25 ha in extent to Lorenz Kamfer, a German from Pomerania. Lorenz was the first settler in the valley, and named his farm "De Drie Sprong" - believed to mean, "where three roads meet".
It was situated on the gently undulating lower slopes of the Simonsberg, as farming on the steep land further up was impractical. This freehold passed through nine different owners until it was purchased by Jan Andries Beyers on 2nd March 1857.
Jan Andries obviously recognised the farming potential of the area, for he had been busy acquiring land adjoining De Drie Sprong for some years. In 1813 he purchased a narrow strip extending up the mountain directly above De Drie Sprong, and in 1843 bought a further segment surrounding both his narrow strip and De Drie Sprong. Finally, in 1857, he added De Drie Sprong itself.
1939 - 1951 Hans & Del HoheisenThe modern hi-tech cellar had humble beginnings, being built in 1944 when the war prevented the importation of any new machinery. Hans put much careful thought into its construction, and the design of the 25 concrete storage tanks was quite revolutionary for the time. With a capacity of 1000 gallons (4500 liters) each, it took until 1962 for production to fill all 25 tanks for the first time.
A small basket press and a continuous press, hand pumps and a filter made up other very basic cellar equipment. Bottling was done by gravity from a small cask situated on top of a concrete tank, and in this way 3000 bottles per day could be filled. Modern technology has increased that daily rate to 15 000 bottles!
Corking was also done by hand and labeling was a messy, laborious task. The labeling equipment consisted of a second-hand toothbrush, pot of glue, wobbly box to support each bottle, and most important for that professional look, a wet cloth to remove all traces of extraneous glue. All this was initially done without the aid of electricity.
1951 - 1957 Spatz SperlingThe Hoheisen´s dream retirement home, with its acres of land demanded constant attention; there was more to farming and winemaking than had ever been imagined. The answer came when Deli Hoheisen took a trip to Germany to visit relatives. Here it was agreed that Micheal “Spatz” Sperling, nephew of Deli, would join the Hoheisens in South Africa to assist with all farming activities. Spatz set sale on the Winchester Castle, arriving on Delheim Thursday, 19 April 1951.
After 60 years of hard work and dedication, Spatz has become synonymous with the name Delheim, he also has an unequalled reputation in the South African wine industry of today
1957 - 1971 Learning to flyWhile Spatzendreck helped to make Delheim a household name, it was two years earlier that heralded the first hint of the fine wines to come, and proved to be the beginning of a new era. In 1959 Delheim wines made their first appearance on the South African Wine Show in Paarl, and Spatz walked off with the trophy for the Best Dry White Table Wine. The winning wine was his White French, or Palomino, which had competed against varieties such as Chenin Blanc and Colombard, which normally commanded much greater prestige. This early success has continued, and grown - Delheim wines have never been out of the limelight since. Another welcome addition to the farm came in 1976, with the opening of the Vintner's Cheese Lunch Restaurant. The restaurant was established to cater for the ever-increasing amount of people visiting the Stellenbosch Wine route. The food served is designed to complement the farm's wines, and is entirely home made.
1971- New Horizons April 1971 saw the founding of the Stellenbosch Wine Route , first of its kind in South Africa, by Spatz Sperling, Neil Joubert of Spier and Frans Malan of Simonsig.
These three became affectionately known as "The Three Angry Men with a Cause" following their heated debates with critics over the potential and value of the scheme. That they were right is proven every year by the more than 500 000 people visiting the Stellenbosch route, and by the establishment of a further thirteen wine routes in South Africa.
