Axe Hill
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Boutique, foot-trodden Cape Vintage Port from South Africa's Port Capital, Calitzdorp.
About Axe Hill
Axe Hill is a small, family-run boutique winery in Calitzdorp, in South Africa's Klein Karoo — a district often called the country's 'Port Capital' for its Douro-like dry heat and concentration of Portuguese grape varieties. The vineyard on the Wesoewer property was planted in 1993/1994 by Cape wine writer and consultant Tony Mossop and his wife Lyn; the farm's name recalls Stone Age hand axes unearthed there, said to have been used by prehistoric people. Since 2007 the estate has been owned and run by winemaker Mike Neebe together with his wife Pam, who has also worked a harvest in Portugal's Douro Valley. Axe Hill focuses almost entirely on Portuguese varieties: in exceptional years it produces a traditional Cape Vintage Port — hand-sorted, foot-trodden in open lagares and matured in old French oak — from a blend of Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz and Souzão, alongside Cape Ruby and LBV-style ports and a rare barrel-aged Dry White Port made from Chenin Blanc through fractional blending of old and young wine. The range also extends to unfortified reds from the same Portuguese varieties and small-batch, experimental bottlings under the 'Gatos' label. The estate's debut 1997 Cape Vintage was awarded 5 stars in the John Platter Guide, and its 2009 Cape Vintage won Best Cape Port at the 2012 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show.
Who Is This For?
For fortified-wine enthusiasts and Port lovers who want an authentic, small-production Cape Vintage Port made with traditional Douro-style techniques, as well as those curious about South Africa's lesser-known Portuguese-variety wine tradition.
Wines of Axe Hill
No cuvées registered yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What kind of wine is Axe Hill best known for?
- Axe Hill is best known for its Cape Vintage Port, a traditional fortified wine made from Portuguese varieties such as Touriga Nacional, Tinta Barroca, Tinta Roriz and Souzão, foot-trodden in open lagares and aged in old French oak.
- Where is Axe Hill located?
- Axe Hill is located on the Wesoewer property in Calitzdorp, a small district in the Klein Karoo region of South Africa's Western Cape, known as the country's 'Port Capital'.
- Who founded Axe Hill and who runs it today?
- The vineyard was planted in 1993/1994 by Cape wine writer and consultant Tony Mossop and his wife Lyn. Since 2007 it has been owned and run by winemaker Mike Neebe and his wife Pam.
- Does Axe Hill make any wine other than Port?
- Yes. Besides Cape Vintage, Cape Ruby and LBV-style ports, Axe Hill produces a rare barrel-aged Dry White Port from Chenin Blanc, unfortified reds from Portuguese varieties, and small experimental bottlings under the 'Gatos' label.
- Has Axe Hill won any awards?
- Yes. Its debut 1997 Cape Vintage received 5 stars in the John Platter Guide, and the 2009 Cape Vintage won Best Cape Port at the 2012 Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show.