A.A. Badenhorst Family Wines

A.A. Badenhorst Family Wines is a small wine producer in the Swartland region of South Africa. It is known for its premium blended wines: the full-bodied, complex white wine is made up of Chenin Blanc with a wide range of other grape varieties, and the supple, mineral-laden red wine is a Southern Rhone blend.

Former Rustenberg winemaker Adi Badenhorst and his cousin Hein bought the Kalmoesfontein farm in Swartland in 2008. This farm has 28 hectares (69 acres) of mostly old bush vines, planted in the 1950s and 60s on granite soils. Chenin Blanc, Cinsaut and Grenache make up the majority of the vineyard, and other varieties are brought in from other vineyards in the area.

The Badenhorst winery uses traditional winemaking methods. All fruit is whole bunch-pressed and fermented in old oak casks, concrete vats or open wooden vats, depending on color and variety. The red wines then undergo long post-ferment macerations, before aging in casks or 4000 litre foudres.

As well as the A.A. Badenhorst red and white blends, the winery makes a small range of other wines. The Secateurs range is Badenhorst's entry-level range, comprising a red, a white and a rosé in some vintages. On top of this, Badenhorst also makes a solera-aged wine called Funky White in some vintages.