Waterleliefontein Farm – ‘little rural paradise’ grows into award-winning olive oil and wine producer

Waterleliefontein Farm is small, 45-hectare boutique farm situated on the Van Der Stell Pass, about 7kms outside Botriver, with the Bot River as a border.

It was acquired by Jo and Tessa Neser, both then practising attorneys, at the end of 2012 - not so much with the aim of farming, but more as a little rural paradise. It has a river, fynbos mountains, and a perennial stream, known as the Witwaterskloof. At the time, it also had a little ancient cottage on it that has since been converted into a house.

From an agricultural viewpoint, it had a small forgotten orchard of old Cape lemons and about 1 200 olive trees comprising five olive varieties.

A significant investment was made in upgrading the infrastructure, the Nesers learnt how to transplant mature olive trees, and an olive press facility was built and installed. There are now 4 000 mature olive trees consisting of 10 well-known olive varieties - and in 2022, 60 500kg of olives were pressed.

In October 2017, a red grape vineyard was planted on one of the slopes at Waterleliefontein, with a third consisting of Grenache Noir grapes and two thirds of Shiraz grapes. The first grapes were harvested in 2019 and the Waterleliefontein wine, a Rhone style wine, was made at Gabrielskloof by Albert Van Niekerk in accordance with Jo and Tessa's broad requirements.

Extra virgin olive oil

The extra virgin olive oil is made exclusively from olives grown at Waterleliefontein, harvested by hand and then cold extracted at a press facility on the farm within 24 hours of being picked. After pressing, each of the 10 cultivars is stored in stainless steel tanks separately, for a few months, which allows any remaining organic matter to settle at the bottom of the tank. No filtration is done.

The Classic blend is made from the 10 cultivars (Mission, Manzanilla, Kalamata, Ogliarola, Nochellara, Favolosa, Leccino, Coratina, I77 and Frantoio). The final product is a medium, complex extra virgin olive oil with hints of freshly cut grass, olive leaf, artichokes, fresh herbs and a tantalising peppery finish. The blend has an average free fatty acid content of 0.24% mm (the maximum is 0.8%) and a peroxide value of 4.35 (the maximum is 20), which is merely indicative of a high quality extra virgin olive oil. The blend has won a number of awards.

2019 Grenache Noir/Syrah Wine blend

Winemaker's notes:

Both cultivars underwent separate 25% whole berry natural fermentation. They were on their skins for approximately five weeks, thereafter lightly pressed and pumped into barrels. The cultivars were aged for 11 months in a selection of 225-litre second and third fill Vicard French oak barrels.

They were thereafter blended, and 30 days or so later, bottled and then moved to an aging and storage facility with the aim of releasing the wine when it was about three years old, in late 2022. Only 600 cases were released.

Tasting notes:

"Youthful and shy with vibrant red and black fruit; notes of dried coriander, meat spice and olive tapenade add interest. As the wine opens up, some floral and dried citrus aromas add a lift to the darker smoked meat and attractive lamb fat savouriness. The palate is fresh and juicy, with a citric edge over a bone-dry palate with lively taut and precise fruit. Medium bodied with firm tannic structure and best enjoyed three to five years from vintage." James Pietersen, The Wine Cellar, Cape Town

Award: 2023 Platter Wine Guide 4½ stars.

For more information, visit the Waterleliefontein Farm website.