As you drive through Stellenbosch, you’ll inevitably be captivated by the picturesque mountain backdrop of this historic town. This scenic beauty will lead you along Jonkershoek Road, and if you can resist the temptation to stop at Lanzerac, you’ll soon find yourself immersed in this stunning landscape. The valley, with a history spanning nearly 700,000 years, offers an experience of unparalleled splendour.
Nestled in the Boland Mountains, the Jonkershoek Valley, with its many peaks and ravines, has long been a fertile ground for human activity. Hunter-gatherers left behind hand axes and sandstone tools, while Middle Stone Age peoples settled the area between 150,000 and 30,000 years ago. About 2,000 years ago, Khoekhoen herders and migrating Khoi cleared fynbos for pastoral land. Surrounded by Cape lions, mountain leopards, antelope, birds of prey, and abundant fynbos, they lived in harmony with the valley’s natural beauty.
The arrival of farming came with the founding of Stellenbosch in 1679. Like the Khoi before them, the new settlers recognized the value of Jonkershoek’s unique microclimate, and soon land grants were issued for farms. This was also when the valley began to be known as Jonkershoek. The most remote of these farms was granted to Jan Andriessen, nicknamed Jan de Jonker, who used his moniker for the name of his farm, which eventually lent its name to the entire valley
At the valley’s entrance, a farm was granted to Isaaq Schrijver, who aptly named it “Schoongezicht,” meaning “beautiful view.” Schrijver later purchased Mostertsdrift, expanding Schoongezicht, and unknowingly acquiring land that would play a key role in the creation of Pinotage centuries later.
Over the years, Schoongezicht passed through many hands until, in 1920, a widow from Somerset East renamed the farm Lanzerac. Mrs. Elizabeth Katarina English, a remarkable woman, undertook significant improvements to the estate and introduced the first Lanzerac wine around 1922.
Today, Lanzerac stands as the gateway to this stunning magical valley, home to over 1,100 plant species, various small mammals, birds, and reptiles. The Lanzerac Jonkershoek range is named in honour of this rich history—celebrating the valley’s natural beauty, wildlife, and, most importantly, its people.