HOME OF THE WORLD’S FIRST BOTTLED PINOTAGE
Lanzerac Wine Estate, home to the world’s first bottled Pinotage and one of the oldest heritage farms in the Western Cape dating back to 1692, has been cultivating award-winning wines for decades. Nestled in the Jonkershoek Valley between the majestic Stellenbosch mountains, this historic Estate’s rich winemaking history can be traced back to the early 1900s, when the first Lanzerac wine was bottled from grapes harvested on the farm. Since then, Lanzerac Wine Estate has cemented itself as a distinguished wine producer with a commitment to superior quality wines both internationally and locally.
The year 1925 saw Professor Abraham Izak Perold, the first Professor of Viticulture at the University of Stellenbosch, successfully cross two grape varietals, Pinot Noir and Hermitage (Cinsaut), to create South Africa’s first unique and indigenous wine grape variety – Pinotage. Several years later, Lanzerac Wine Estate became the first winery in the world to use the term ‘Pinotage’ on their label when they marketed the 1959 vintage under the name ‘Lanzerac’. This visionary release marked the birth of Pinotage as a unique variety from South Africa.
To this day, Lanzerac Wine Estate, under the leadership of Cellar Master, Wynand Lategan and Farm Manager Philip le Roux, is still producing award-winning Pinotage, along with a wide variety of other excellent quality wines that form part of Lanzerac’s three tiers – the Jonkershoek Range, Heritage Range and Keldermeester Versameling (Cellar Master Collection).
The Wine making Duo
MEET OUR WINE MAKING TEAM
LANZERAC CELLAR MASTER
WYNAND LATEGAN
Born and raised in Stellenbosch, it was almost destiny for Wynand Lategan to end up in the wine industry. After high school Wynand successfully obtained a B.Comm Degree and Honours Degree in Journalism at the University of Stellenbosch and went on to become a Financial journalist at Die Burger. After 4 years, at the age of 30, a growing interest in wine led Wynand to complete a Diploma in Wine & Cellar Technology at Elsenburg Agricultural College. A harvest opportunity at Château Durfort-Viviens and second growth in Margaux, Medoc, paved the way to Lanzerac where he took over as winemaker in 2005. Besides spending most of his time in the vineyards or cellar, Wynand is an avid outdoor enthusiast whose passions include running, surfing, mountain biking and hunting. He is married to Nelleke and is a doting dad to their three beautiful daughters, Ella, Fila-Marie and Barbara, whom he believes keeps him grounded.
LANZERAC FARM MANAGER
PHILIP LE ROUX
Philip Le Roux joined Lanzerac in 2020 as the Viticulture farm advisor. Spending the first 18 years of his life on a wine farm in Franschhoek and watching his father’s 40 years of experience in the wine industry ignited Philip’s passion for agriculture and reinforced the importance of farming. Upon completing his studies, he travelled to the USA to pursue a career in farming before returning to South Africa to continue his passion for wine production. Philip’s values, beliefs and moral compass resonates throughout his farming, ensuring quality vineyards, superior grapes and unified teamwork. When he’s not in the vineyards you will find Philip unwinding at home with his wife and daughter or looking for his next outdoor adventure.