The winery "Boschendal Wines" is situated at the foot of the Drakenstein massif in the wine-growing area (Ward) Franschhoek in South Africa. The name "boss en dal" means "forest and valley". The historical part was deeded to the French Huguenot Jean de Long in 1685 by the governor and wine-growing pioneer Simon van der Stel (1639-1712). In 1715, it passed into the possession of the Huguenot brothers Pierre, Abraham and Jacques de Villier (1661-1735), who expanded it significantly. In 1812, a great-grandson built the manor house "La Rhône", which is now a museum and a listed building, an outstanding example of Cape Dutch architecture. In 1896, all the vines were attacked by phylloxera. The later Prime Minister of the English Cape Colony John Cecil Rhodes (1853-1902) bought Boschendal and had all the diseased vines replaced. These estates are still known today as "Rhodes Fruit Farms". Today the farm is owned by Anglo American Farms, which also owns Vergelegen (Stellenbosch).
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Andreas Essl
Autor, Modena