With
the launch of its new online wine store and website, he takes the legacy of his
father, Sir David – founder of De Grendel Wines – into the online world of
social commerce.
“The launch of the new De Grendel website is a first
step in our digital initiatives,” says Graaff. “We want to make it as easy as
possible to buy De Grendel wines online, no matter how friends of De Grendel Wines
access the internet.”
Whether lovers of De Grendel wine use a computer,
tablet or mobile phone – or whether they visit the website or social media
channels, buying De Grendel wine will be only a click away, he continues.
The
Graaffs have always embraced the future and the technologies of the time. The
first baronet of De Grendel, Sir David Pieter de Villiers Graaff, was not only
mayor, but also the man responsible for building the first reservoirs,
electrifying the city and building the Table Mountain cableway. The fascinating
story of De Grendel and the Graaff family is a major part of the new website.
The new look DeGrendel.co.za is on par
with the best winery sites in the world. Not only is it responsive to whatever
device is used to visit the site, it also allows visitors to make
instantly-confirmed restaurant bookings, chat directly with tasting room staff
and download detailed tasting notes on the last three vintages of De Grendel’s
wines.
The online
strategy coincides with the 2015 vintage which may well turn out to be on par
with the benchmark 2007 vintage, according to Charles Hopkins, cellar master of
De Grendel Wines. “All the varieties, from the
MCC’s and the Noble Late Harvest to the heaviest of Cabernets, are of
exceptional quality this year.”
Special
benefits for Loyalty Club members: The site has
been designed with De Grendel’s thousands of Loyalty Club members in mind.
Once
logged in, members will notice the prices already discounted by 10%. They will
also see special offers and wines available exclusively to members, such as the
next vintage of De Grendel Chardonnay/Viognier blend, Winifred. Members
will also be able to book for exclusive De Grendel Loyalty Club wine tasting
and food pairing events hosted around the country.
A
refer-a-friend programme will soon be launched which will allow Loyalty Club
members to gain further discounts when their friends sign up. Membership to the
Loyalty Club is free on purchase of 12 bottles of De Grendel wine.
De Grendel Restaurant online: Diners
will be able to instantly make and confirm restaurant reservations via the new
website. Chef Ian Bergh, known for his unique take on contemporary Cape Town
cuisine, also shares recipes from the restaurant kitchen on the website.
Admire
the beautiful crockery with its signature De Grendel blue gracing the tables?
The merchandise in the online shop includes a range of bespoke crockery
designed for De Grendel restaurant by ceramicist Mervin Gers and produced in
his Cape Town studio.
About De
Grendel Wines
De
Grendel Wines is situated on the historic eponymous Cape farm dating back to 1720
and home to the Graaff family for five generations. A working farm, the tradition of cattle, sheep and horses, dates
back more than a century. 3rd Baronet
Sir David Graaff established the vineyards and modern wine cellar, a legacy now
continued by his son De Villiers. Cellar master Charles Hopkins combines the
most modern winemaking techniques with a nod to the farm’s heritage, eco-caring
ethos and commitment to quality.
Spread along Tygerberg Hill, overlooking the Atlantic
Ocean, it is South Africa’s only wine estate 350 meters above sea level, 7 km
from the sea, where each vineyard has an 180° vista to the ocean. The
moisture-laden coastal mists and cooling breezes, together with ancient blue
shale-derived, well-drained soils (mainly Oakleafs, Glen Rosa and Mispas types)
lead to De Grendel’s elegant wines. The grapes for the Op die Berg Pinot Noir
and Chardonnay come from grapes grown on the Graaff family farm high up in the
Witzenberg Mountains on the Ceres Plateau.
De Grendel wines are available online, at the
tasting room and speciality wine stores countrywide.
Contact De Grendel Wine Estate
Plattekloof
Road, Panorama
www.degrendel.co.za
info@degrendel.co.za
021 558
6280
Twitter: @degrendelwines / @degrendelrestau
Facebook: De Grendel Wine and Restaurant