We celebrate 160 Years of Family Tradition and Winemaking Excellence
by Cassie du Plessis
Rietvallei Estate, located on the R60 just outside Robertson, has become a sought-after destination for wine lovers who want to experience the best of this beautiful wine valley in recent years. And now, during a special weekend in the proverbial most beautiful month, all roads led to Rietvallei, where the estate’s milestone of 160 years was celebrated like one big family.
A beautiful sunny weekend welcomed hundreds of supporters and family members, who shared in two days of celebrations, just as Rietvallei and its hospitable, royal Burger family do with style and quality.
In the unpretentious spirit of the late patriarch Johnny Burger, the sixth and seventh generations of descendants brought their best, with typical spontaneity and character—led by Kobus Burger, now the humble head of the farm, with his wife Elizabeth—along with sister Annelize Blom and their children—taking the main roles.
Kobus and Elizabeth’s daughters, Esté (19) and Annie (17)—for whom their popular Estéanna wine label is named—and their 13-year-old twin sons, Johnny and Austin, along with Annelize and André’s children, Christian (15), Alexandra (14), and Nicolas (9), were all present.
So were close family members and friends, during a more intimate function in the garden of the manor house, which now serves as a prestigious reception venue and office complex. Here, a treasure trove of photos and historical artifacts tell the rich history, as well as the colorful character and tradition of the award-winning wines, including the historic 1908 Muscadel 2021.
The stylish function on Friday, 11 October, saw 80 guests treated to a “buffet at the table” with Mediterranean-inspired dishes, prepared by top chefs from Robertson under Elizabeth’s watchful eye. Known for her food and wine pairings, she hosted as a gracious hostess, with mother Juanita providing quiet support, alongside guests like prominent wine estate owners, winemakers, and wine industry figures, many of whom are also family members.
The selected wines on the tables included Rietvallei Sauvignon Blanc 2024, Chardonnay 2023, Calcrete 2024, The Estate 2016, Estéanna 2009, JMB Cabernet Franc 2016, 1908 Muscadel 2021, and Rietvallei Muscadel 2019.
The following day’s cheerful family celebration, open to the public, exceeded all expectations, with over 200 visitors enjoying more casual snacks like pizzas, sushi, and cheese platters, all accompanied by a selection of Rietvallei wines.
During the preceding event, Aunt Marietjie Botha—Johnny’s sister from Stellenbosch—shared lively stories with a mix of laughter and tears, reminiscing about the time when the original Rietvallei, from the de Klaasvoogds River Wagendrift, was bought in 1864 by the first “Burger,” Alewyn Petrus Burger of Montagu, for his 26-year-old son, Jacobus Francois, or Koos.
Today’s sixth-generation Burger, Kobus, paid tribute to his father, explaining how he joined the family business in 2002 after three years as a mechanical engineer and studies at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology.
Johnny—officially Johannes Marthinus Burger, as honored on the JMB Cabernet Franc label—concentrated on viticulture, while Kobus handled his first harvest as winemaker in 2003.
“My father made the biggest contribution and impact in getting us to where we are today and laid the foundation on which I could simply build—the production of quality wine from noble cultivars. He transformed us from being a grape producer for a co-op to a private estate producing its own wine, releasing our first estate wine under the Rietvallei label in 1975, the 1975 Rietvallei Rooi Muskadel.”
Annelize, now from Durbanville and involved with Rietvallei’s communications, spoke of Kobus’s entrepreneurial journey and the expansion into the current ranges of Heritage Collection, Classic Collection, Burger Family Vineyards, John B, and Stonedale.
“In the cellar, I saw this passionate artist emerge, as he carefully plans to ensure every wine has its own character. This approach has led to numerous awards, such as the SA Terroir Wine Awards, where the Rietvallei JMB Cabernet Franc was named national winner twice in a row and awarded Top Terroir Estate for three consecutive years,” Annelize shared.
Fresh from the press on the Saturday of the Rietvallei 160 celebration, their much-celebrated JMB Cabernet Franc 2019 won a coveted gold medal at the Veritas Awards.
As Kobus quoted for the festive family: the following words appear on the label of this wine: “In honor of my father, my mentor, my friend.”
The final words came from the youthful perspective of daughter Annie: “I stand here on behalf of the seventh generation; the product of so many people with character, humor, love, and faith. I may not have known them all, but I look like them, speak like them, and know their story.”