Kanonkop Wine Estate

General information

Kanonkop Estate is situated on the lower slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in the Stellenbosch Region of the Cape and confidently boasts with some of South Africa’s most premium wines.
Kanonkop is a fourth generation family estate, which was originally purchased by JW Sauer, a cabinet member in the parliament of the Union of South Africa. This estate has since then been handed down from father to son for over 40 years and is now in the talented, capable hands of its current owners Paul &
Johann Krige.

Kanonkop

The name Kanonkop was derived from a kopje (hillock), from which a cannon was fired in the 17th Century to alert farmers in outlying areas that sailing ships plying the waters between Europe and the Far East had entered Table Bay for a stopover at Cape Town.
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Location

Kanonkop Estate is situated on the lower slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain in the Stellenbosch Region of the Cape. It is between Stellenbosch and Paarl on the R44 and falls in a ward called Simonsberg, more commonly known as the “red wine bowl” of South Africa. It has earned a reputation both at home and abroad as the area producing the best wines in the country. The Estate is situated on 125 hectares, of which 100 hectares are planted to vine. Besides the solid foundation on which the estate’s winemaking principles are based, it is also blessed with ideal soils, cool sea breezes and long summer days, creating the perfect climate for growing grapes.

Meet The Team

The people of Kanonkop make it what it is. They are not just workers or employees – they are the Estate. The majority of the 54 men and women employed on the Estate, live there as well.

The management style employed is one of decision-making from the bottom up, with profit sharing a major incentive for all employees. Everyone on the Estate is encouraged to participate in community projects, undertake worker-training programmes and to set and develop their own personal goals and objectives.