Our Rich Heritage
Freedom Hill Wines opened its cellar doors in November 2004. Situated on the slopes of the Wemmershoek Mountain, the historical Klompzicht estate lies between Franschhoek and Paarl.
The colourful story of the estate dates back to 1699, when it was part of the farm La Paris, which had been obtained by the French Huguenot, Francois Retief, in 1699. The original farm measured 414 hectares and was subsequently subdivided into 11 portions.
It was in 1997 that Francois Klomp, an engineer by profession, and his wife, Adila, fell in love with this beautiful 82-hectare farm. They named it Klompzicht and, combining their talents with those of a small, inspired team, set out to develop it into what has become a model boutique estate.
Their prestigious boutique range derives its name from the fact that the vineyards overlook the legendary Victor Verster prison (now the Drakenstein correctional services facility), where Nelson Mandela took his first steps to freedom.
Our Dedicated Team
Only hand-picked grapes find their way into a well-equipped cellar where our winemaker, Kowie du Toit and our specialist winemaker consultant, Francois Naudé, as well as our viticulturist Chris Immelman who performs magic to capture nature's rich bounty in our wines.
Suretha Basson is responsible for the national sales and marketing while Colleen Kearley is our friendly assistant in our wine tasting facility.
Francois Naudé qualified and then practised as a pharmacist for 18 years in this hometown of Pretoria, before making the break to Stellenbosch and turning a passionate hobby into an extremely successful career. He first tried his hand at wine making in 1991.
He has earned many awards and collected an enthusiastic following at home and abroad, where he has excelled in competitions. Since his retirement he has become an honorary member (Keeper of the Key) of the prestigious Cape Wine Maker Guild and consults for Freedom Hill.
Our Prime Vineyards
Our first vines were planted in 1998, where today they thrive in our farm's Oakleaf soils, ideally suited to the cultivation of top quality red grapes. During summer, the prevailing south-easterly wind creates superb, cool ripening conditions, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly and reach optimum flavour.
At Freedom Hill the gifts of nature combine with the passion and skills of our winemakers to create wines of distinctive character, abundant flavour, superb balance and stylish finesse.
Restaurant
Freedom Hill Restaurant offers a personal, country-style feel to every food & wine experience.
Co-owned and operated by Head Chef Adrian Buchanan, priority is placed on excellence in food and service quality.
We are sure to exceed your expectations with a fresh and exciting menu, daily specials and personalised wine tastings.
Escape the bustle of Franschhoek with a relaxing afternoon tea, or sundowners on our patio with its sweeping scenic views across the Berg River Valley towards the majestic Simonsberg Mountain.
Freedom Hill Restaurant is our opportunity to show the world our passion for sumptuous food - and our generous country hospitality. Enjoy!
