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Axe Hill Winery

Winery Description

Location and History

Wine tastings at Axe Hill are conducted by the owner, Mike Neebe, in his cellar. Tastings are by appointment and when you reserve in time, tapas to go with your wine tasting can be arranged. In 2024, Axe Hill vineyard will celebrate its 30th anniversary. Originally planted in 1994 by Tony and Lyn Mossop, the vineyard was taken over by Mike Neebe in 2007. Since then, Mike has enjoyed 17 harvests at Axe Hill and also gained experience working in Portugal’s Douro Valley during the 2010 harvest. The vineyard's name, Axe Hill, is derived from ancient stone hand tools discovered on the property, which may have been used by prehistoric humans over 250,000 years ago.

In exceptional years, a vintage port is crafted from a blend of traditional Portuguese varieties; Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz, and Souzão. The wine undergoes hand sorting and foot crushing in lagares, a process that closely mirrors traditional Portuguese port-making methods. It is then matured in old French oak barrels for maximum flavour and colour extraction. Initially experimenting with a small selection of white wine grapes, the cellar now produces a range of dry white wines and blends. These include Ambientem, a barrel-fermented Chenin Blanc, and Tant Lenie, a unique barrel-fermented Viognier from a neighbouring farm. More recently, a Klein Karoo White Blend has been introduced, featuring Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and Palomino from a very old Calitzdorp block. A barrel-fermented Colombard has also been added to the lineup.

Wine Tasting

Chenin Blanc grapes are used to create a White Port, a drier style of fortified wine. The wine is barrel-aged through fractional blending, where older wines are blended with younger ones, allowing the average age of the wine to increase over time gradually. Axe Hill Cape White, which originated with its first vintage in 2003, continues to develop greater complexity each year as it matures in barrels.

In addition to Cape Ruby Port, Cape Vintage Port, and LBV, the cellar periodically produces a Shiraz Red and other distinctive dry reds. Soon, it will release the eighth vintage of its flagship wine, Machado, a unique dry red blend made from Portuguese varietals such as Touriga Nacional, Tinta Roriz, and Tinta Barroca. The cellar has also introduced a new label, GATOS, meaning "cats" in Portuguese, which serves as an experimental range named after the farm's cats.

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