Glenelly

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Glenelly is a relatively young estate with a distinctly French backstory. It sits on the lower slopes of the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch, on land first granted to French Huguenot settler François Villion in 1682. The modern estate was established in 2003 when May de Lencquesaing, then owner of Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande in Pauillac, bought the former fruit farm at the age of 78 and began replanting it with vines.

Around 60 hectares are now planted, with a focus on Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Petit Verdot, alongside Chardonnay and Syrah. The flagship Lady May is a Bordeaux-style blend, while the Glass Collection focuses on individual varieties. The winery, completed in 2009, is built into the mountain with four levels and uses gravity-flow winemaking.

There’s plenty of Bordeaux influence, but Glenelly is ultimately a Stellenbosch estate, combining French winemaking philosophy with the warmer climate and distinctive soils of the Cape.

Glenelly