Historical Context

The year was 1930. The swashbuckling heart-throb Errol Flynn was Hollywood's darling while astronomers discovered Pluto and Mahatma Gandhi embarked on the salt march to passively protest British dominion over India.

At the other end of the world, in the historic and beautiful winelands of Stellenbosch, the heir to Neethlingshof, young Kosie Louw, could not bear to wait for his father's blessing on his marriage – so he spurned his inheritance and left the historic family farm. Young Kosie bought a small piece of the Annandale farm and made a home for his new bride there. Both she and his friends thought his actions bold and audacious, thus christening his new farm - Audacia.

Just 27 years later his son, 'Klein Kosie The Second', joined his father in running the farm. In 1996 Audacia was sold and the current owners remain custodians of the unique Audacia heritage, the Strydom and Harris families.

What And Where?

Audacia is a 32 hectare wine farm in a very special area of South Africa's prime vine growing and winemaking region, Stellenbosch. Any estate agent will tell you that the maxim in property is 'location, location, location' - and Audacia has that in spades. It's situated in what is known as 'The Golden Triangle' of Stellenbosch, a unique patch of land at the foot of the Helderberg Mountain. It's special because this is where some of South Africa's best red wines, particularly Shiraz, are grown and made. It's for this reason - and the fact that its vineyards are exclusively planted to red grape varieties – that Audacia has dubbed itself “The Red Wine Boutique Winery”.

In terms of physical location, Audacia can be found alongside the R44 between Stellenbosch and Somerset West, specifically seven kilometres outside Stellenbosch and immediately before the Annandale Road, a strip of tar which leads to a number of internationally renowned wine properties.

But that doesn't provide the full scope of the farm's setting. It lies in the gently sloping Bonte River Valley at the base of the Helderberg Mountain. Looking eastwards, your eye is drawn ever upwards to the lofty peaks of the surrounding mountains: from Stellenbosch mountain, to the adjacent Haelkop and in an easterly arc to the Helderberg itself - mountains that turn mauve and purple when the sun sets behind Table Mountain to the west.

Symbolism

The name Audacia is synonymous with: a spirit of adventure, boldness, being brave, brazen, courageous, daring, enterprising, original, fearless, free, heroic, intrepid, inventive, uninhibited and unrestrained. These characteristics are epitomised in both the viticulture and winemaking on this special Stellenbosch property.

With no small matter of pride, Audacia's label depicts a wooden basket press. It's an homage to the pioneering Kosie Louw who borrowed the grape press from his father to make the first wines on the farm.