Background

Groote Post is a historic family-owned wine estate located in the scenic Darling Hills along South Africa’s West Coast. Once a thriving 18th-century farm, it has grown into a celebrated producer of premium wines while preserving its deep agricultural roots. The Pentz family, now with three generations working together – Peter Pentz Sr, his son Nick Pentz, and grandson Peter Pentz Jr are dedicated to crafting exceptional wines that reflect the estate's unique terroir and history.

Their journey in winemaking started strong, with their maiden release receiving immediate recognition. In its November 1999 issue, WINE magazine reviewed the Sauvignon Blanc vintage, a year many called a "vintage from hell." Despite these challenging conditions, only four wines earned a 4-star rating, with Groote Post's Sauvignon Blanc being one of them. Notably, both the top Sauvignon Blancs – Neil Ellis Groenekloof and Groote Post – hailed from neighbouring vineyards on the cool, south-facing slopes of Kapokberg in the Darling Hills, an emerging wine region on the Cape West Coast.

The Groote Post Homestead, built in 1808, was once the only genuine "shooting box" of Lord Charles Somerset and later became the home of renowned author Hildagonda Duckitt. The farm’s name reflects its origins as the largest guarding post in the area, established to protect cattle from marauding Hottentot stock thieves.

The Pentz family acquired Groote Post in 1972 and later expanded the property by adding the historic Klawer Valley farm, resulting in a combined estate of 2,800 hectares. Peter Pentz’s grandfather established the Union Dairy in Cape Town in 1904, and over time, dairy herds were developed in Tokai, Philippi, and Darling (Groote Post). In 1998, Peter Pentz received the prestigious South African Agricultural Writers’ National Farmer of the Year Award for his excellence in dairy farming. However, in 2001, the Pentz family made the pivotal decision to sell their prized Holstein herd and shift their focus entirely to producing world-class wines.