Located in the picturesque village of Franschhoek, La Petite Provence is a "petite" residential wine estate of outstanding beauty. This attractive 36–hectare farm lies in the middle of the magnificent Franschhoek valley, surrounded by majestic mountain ranges, deep in the heart of the Western Cape Winelands, yet only 45 minutes from Cape Town.
For those of us fortunate enough to know Franschhoek, it is not surprising that our village is third only to the Kruger Park and Cape Town on the "must visit" list of overseas visitors to South Africa.
La Petite Provence was once part of the historic La Provence wine farm and traces its origins back to the 17th century French Huguenot settlers. Franschhoek, recognised as South Africa’s culinary capital, is a place where locals and visitors alike take their time to enjoy the area’s natural beauty and superb climate, whilst its winemakers nurture and produce some of the New World’s finest wines.
Modern–day La Petite Provence is a product of the 21st century, construction having started in 2000 when ground was broken to develop a new residential wine estate. Four hectares of new vines were planted with the aim of producing high–quality grapes from which we produce superior wines. Today, approximately 150 houses and apartments nestle amongst the vines, providing a harmonious lifestyle.
In 2006, once the new Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon vines were mature enough to harvest, the Olifantshoek Wine Company (Pty) Ltd was established to manage the process of turning grapes into wine. The Company sells our red wines under the brand name "La Petite Provence" and the white wines under the brand name "Oliphantshoek". The Company, in turn, is owned by La Petite Provence Wine Trust, a group of enthusiastic wine lovers who enjoy the opportunity of being involved in all aspects of producing their own wine. The rewards of this involvement can be gauged by the ever–improving quality of the wine produced on the Estate – so much so that the recently–released 2007 Merlot and 2007 Mélange (a Cab/Merlot blend) were both awarded 3 stars+ by Platter’s Guide – the authoritative reference book for South African Wines.