AA BADENHORST

AA Badenhorst Family Wines are grown, made and matured on Kalmoesfontein farm in the Swartland appellation of South Africa. The 28ha of old bushvines grow in the Siebritskloof part of the Paardeberg mountain.

The property is owned by cousins Hein and Adi Badenhorst, originally from Constantia. Their grandfather was the farm manager of Groot Constantia for 46 years. Their fathers were born there and farmed together in Constantia, during the days when people still ate fresh vegetables and Hanepoot grapes, drank Cinsault and there were a lot less traffic lights and hippies still had a presence.

Together Hein and Adi have restored a neglected cellar on the farm that was last used in the 1930s to make natural wines in the traditional manner.

Adi Badenhorst

Andre Adriaan Badenhorst's grandfather was the general manager at Groot Constantia for 46 years. His father was born there and farmed on neighbouring Buitenverwachting and Constantia Uitsig for many years. Adi grew up between the vineyards and spent his time picking (stealing) grapes.

''It all started when Jean Daneel, then winemaker at Buitenverwachting, let me make my first wine when I was thirteen,'' Adi recalls.

After completing his studies at Elsenburg, Adi worked a few harvests at Chateau Angelus, Alain Graillot in the north Rhone, France; Wither Hills in New Zealand; did stints at local cellars Simonsig, Steenberg, Groote Post; and nine years as winemaker at the esteemed Stellenbosch Estate, Rustenberg.

In 2008, he packed it all in and bought a 60-hectare piece of land in the Paardeberg with his cousin Hein. They now proudly farm together, practice biological farming and make natural wines in the traditional manner.