Rijk's is an award-winning family owned estate situated in the picturesque Tulbagh valley, specialising in Chenin Blanc and Pinotage. Their debut vintage was 2000 and they have created a winery, cellars and a luxury hotel on the site. Set in the middle of vineyards ad mountains, the establishment is all about food, wine and relaxing. Rijk’s is situated 120km North-East of Cape Town and 80km East of the Atlantic ocean in a Mediterranean climate. Their valley is surrounded by the Obiqua, Winterhoek and Witzenberg mountains, which reach heights of up to 1,995m.
Between 1751–1771, Rijk Tulbagh was the Governor of the Cape. Both the town and the Rijk's brand was named after him.
1996
Lover of good food and collector of good wines, Neville Dorrington had been working in Cape Town for more than 20 years. In 1996, Neville and his family decided to move to the countryside to grow and produce their own wine. They fell in love with the Tulbagh valley and came across 137 hectares of virgin soils that were never cultivated. The slopes faced north, south, east and west and the analysis of the vertical shale soils revealed the potential for low yielding, high-quality grapes. The offer to purchase was accepted and the Rijk's farm was found.
1997
14 hectares of vines were planted and a further 12 hectares the following year. They planted many different cultivars – Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Shiraz and Pinotage to see what best suited their climate.
1999
Their new cellar was designed by legendary winemaker Gunter Brozel, who had retired from Nederburg after 33 years and opened on time.
2000
First grapes harvested and received at their cellar.
2002
Pierre Wahl joined Rijk’s as winemaker. Their first export order was shipped to Sweden.
2003
their first of many Gold and Double Gold awards received for Chenin Blanc, Pinotage and Shiraz. Rijk’s was extremely well received and bought by wine enthusiasts from around the world.
2011
After 12 years, they'd learned about their natural environment and the characteristic taste and flavours of the wines they produced. They decided to concentrate on the cultivars best suited to their farm and soil – Chenin Blanc, Pinotage and Shiraz. All other cultivars, including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Cabernet, Cabernet Franc and Merlot, were pulled out and replaced. This was a difficult but valuable decision for the future of Rijk’s, evident in the specialised wines that they produce today.
2013
This year marked the Maiden vintage of the Rijk’s Pinotage Syrah Cape Blend.
2016
Having been born on the farm in the same year that Rijk’s Estate started planting vineyards, it’s no surprise that Neville’s son, Tiger showed a keen interest in nature and agriculture from an early age. Since the times he helped with harvesting the vineyards from a quad bike at 5 years old, Tiger knew that he would take over the family business one day. In 2016, Tiger officially joined the farm and is now in a full-time capacity as head of Sales and Marketing.
2018
The Dorrington family has always shared a dream of becoming a truly South African Estate. It is with this in mind that they decided to buy back and upgrade the Rijk’s Hotel. The Estate now offers luxury wineland accommodation where Rijks wine lovers from across the globe can meet the family and experience Tulbagh farm life.
