Boutique success story

At Sorrenberg, the wine is made in small batches and the winery isn’t fancy. The most important thing for Jan and Barry is the vines and the health of the soil beneath them. The Sorrenberg vineyard is right next door to their home, and below the garden – full of fruits and vegetables – is an underground cellar the couple built themselves.

In the winery, it’s an old-school, hands-off approach to the entire winemaking process, to keep the wine as pure as possible. 

“I think we’re pretty traditional; we use a lot of traditional methods here,” says Jan. “It’s back to basics, really.”

Sorrenberg has won many accolades and built a cult following, with customers on their mailing list buying much of their wine each year. That includes delicate, aromatic Gamay and elegant yet full-flavoured Chardonnay – Jan’s personal favourite. Some customers love the wine so much they just can’t keep it to themselves.

“We sometimes get phone calls late at night, after people have drunk a bottle of Sorrenberg, telling us how wonderful it is and how much they’ve enjoyed the bottle,” says Jan. “We put our phone number on the label, which was probably a mistake when we look back on it now!

“I’m very proud of what we have achieved. In the early days it was difficult with young children and establishing a business, but I think we can sit back now and enjoy this part of it, before we head into retirement.”

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