Nico van der Merwe Wines

Nico van der Merwe Wines is a boutique winery based in Stellenbosch, South Africa, founded by winemaker Nico van der Merwe. The estate's maiden vintage, Mas Nicolas, was released in 1999, marking the realisation of a long-held dream that took shape during the founder's years working in France. The winery is known for its hand-crafted premium wines, with a philosophy rooted in close observation of vineyards and a patient, terroir-driven approach to winemaking. Nico van der Merwe grew up in a wheat-farming family on South Africa's west coast and studied winemaking at Elsenburg Agricultural College in Stellenbosch, completing his studies in 1979. After early assistant winemaker roles in Stellenbosch and Tulbagh, he attended Germany's oldest wine school, LVWO Weinsberg in Heilbronn, from 1984 to 1986. He later became South Africa's first "flying winemaker", splitting his year between a cellar in Stellenbosch and a chateau in the Languedoc region of southern France. This international experience shaped his ambition to create his own wines. The winery's approach emphasises listening to the vines and making harvest decisions only when the grapes signal readiness. Reds are barrel-aged for 18 to 20 months and then bottle-aged for a further 18 months before release, ensuring they are fully developed yet still fresh. The portfolio focuses on premium red and white wines, with Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz among the varieties associated with the founder's award-winning career. Nico van der Merwe's winemaking career spans almost four decades and includes notable accolades: the General Smuts trophy at the 1991 SA National Young Wine Show for a Cabernet Sauvignon; being the first winemaker to win five double gold medals at the Veritas Awards in 1993; becoming the first South African winemaker listed in the Wine Spectator Top 100 with a Shiraz in 1996; and winning the Warren Winiarski Trophy for Cabernet Sauvignon at the 2006 International Wine and Spirits Competition in London. The winery remains a private, family-run boutique operation, with wines sold in South Africa and select export markets.

Nico van der Merwe Wines was founded by Nico van der Merwe, a South African winemaker whose career began with studies at Elsenburg Agricultural College in Stellenbosch, completed in 1979. The son of a wheat-farming family from the west coast of South Africa, Nico first worked as an assistant winemaker at cellars in Stellenbosch and Tulbagh before travelling to Germany to attend LVWO Weinsberg in Heilbronn, Germany's oldest wine school, from 1984 to 1986. During this period he met his wife, Petra, then a practising medical doctor in a nearby town. After returning to South Africa, Nico became the country's first "flying winemaker", dividing his year between running a cellar in Stellenbosch and operating a chateau in the Languedoc region of southern France. The family's time in France introduced them to a new culture and way of living, and it was there that Nico's dream of creating his own wines began to take shape. That dream became reality with the maiden vintage of Mas Nicolas in 1999, the founding release of Nico van der Merwe Wines. Over almost four decades of winemaking, Nico accumulated significant accolades. In 1991 he won the General Smuts trophy at the SA National Young Wine Show for a Cabernet Sauvignon. In 1993 he became the first winemaker to win five double gold medals at the Veritas Awards. In 1996 he became the first South African winemaker to be listed in the Wine Spectator Top 100, achieving this with a Shiraz. In 2006 he won the Warren Winiarski Trophy for Cabernet Sauvignon at the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) in London. The winery operates as a boutique estate in Stellenbosch, producing hand-crafted premium wines. Its winemaking philosophy centres on close observation of the vineyards: Nico visits the vineyards he works with many times in the weeks before picking, waiting until the vines signal that the grapes are ready. Reds are barrelled as soon as possible and aged for 18 to 20 months, then bottled and aged for a further 18 months before release, so that wines are fully developed yet still young and fresh when they reach the market. The estate has been active since 1999 and remains privately owned and family-run.

• 2006

  Nico wins the Warren Winiarski Trophy for Cabernet Sauvignon at the International Wine and Spirits Competition (IWSC) in London.

• 1999

  Maiden vintage of Mas Nicolas marks the founding of Nico van der Merwe Wines.

• 1996

  Nico becomes the first South African winemaker listed in the Wine Spectator Top 100, with a Shiraz.

• 1993

  Nico becomes the first winemaker to win five double gold medals at the Veritas Awards.

• 1991

  Nico wins the General Smuts trophy at the SA National Young Wine Show for a Cabernet Sauvignon.

• 1984

  Nico begins studies at LVWO Weinsberg in Heilbronn, Germany's oldest wine school, continuing until 1986.

• 1979

  Nico van der Merwe completes his winemaking studies at Elsenburg Agricultural College in Stellenbosch.

Boutique, hand-crafted premium wines from Stellenbosch with a patient, vineyard-driven philosophy.

• Mas Nicolas

  The maiden vintage released in 1999, marking the founding of the winery.

• Cabernet Sauvignon

  A variety associated with the founder's award-winning career, including the 1991 General Smuts trophy and the 2006 Warren Winiarski Trophy.

• Shiraz

  The variety with which Nico became the first South African winemaker listed in the Wine Spectator Top 100 in 1996.

1. 1Nico van der Merwe Wines – Official Websitenvdmwines.com
2. 2Our Story – Nico van der Merwe Winesnvdmwines.com
3. 3Nico van der Merwe Wines – Wikidatawikidata.org