After studying BSc Agric at Stellenbosch University, Piet Stofberg(Tof) came to the farm Klipdrift on 15 January 1949. As Jacobus Du Toit Jnr(Koos Twakkie) and Marina Du Toit(nee Stofberg), who was his father’s sister, had no children, they made Piet an offer to take care of the farm. This was an excellent opportunity as Piet wholeheartedly wanted to be a wine farmer. In the winery and on the farm he experienced real satisfaction and fulfilment while making wine and raisins.
After 1950 a huge demand for dry white wine developed. Piet circulated the available water from the ‘beurtsloot’ through copper pipes to control the fermentation of the wine. As a result, much better quality wine could be made. In 1955 Piet made a huge breakthrough by installing cold fermentation which could now take place at 15°C. Piet was the first wine farmer in the Goudini area to implement cold fermentation – what a giant step forward!
Nestled in the Breedekloof valley at the foot of the Du Toitskloof Mountains, lies Stofberg Estate with its private family cellar. Since the late 1800’s wine making became one of the many traditions of the farm Klipdrift where the current winemaker, Du Toit Stofberg followed in his father’s footsteps as winemaker.
Soon Pieter, 3rd Stofberg winemaker of the estate and first namesake of his grandfather will join the family, setting forth the tradition by being the 5th generation winemaker of the private family cellar. The Stofberg private family cellar was the first cellar in the Goudini area to implement cold fermentation. The Stofberg history goes back to 1764 when Jacobus Stofberg arrived at the Cape on board ‘Het Hoop’.
Stofberg Estate is a tribute to the noble roots of the Stofberg family, especially to our late father and grandfather Piet Stofberg – an estate where tradition meets vision.
