French winemaking with a South African twist

Just north of Paarl in South Africa’s Coastal Region lies the town of Tulbagh, the fourth oldest in the country. The first settlers arrived in 1658 when Pieter Potter, the surveyor general to the Cape’s first governor, Jan van Riebeeck, ran out of road. Blocked by the punishing mountain range beyond Paarl, trekkers from the Cape of Good Hope found themselves confronted by uncharted terrain further inland. As a result, 14 farming families settled the area in 1699. The soils beneath the eastern slopes of the Saronsberg Mountain proved ideal for viticulture and, in 1710, two Dutch cousins established the Twee Jonge Gezellen farm – translated as ‘two young companions’.

The farm became the Krone winery in the 20th century. The imposing Saronsberg mountain, often referred to as ‘the rainmaker’, creates a rain-shadow effect that shields the vineyards. Protected from the Cape’s powerful south-easterly summer winds, the elevated vineyards enjoy cool air flowing down the mountain slopes at night. Tulbagh’s grapes ripen, on average, two weeks earlier than those in most other Western Cape wine regions, preserving their acidity while shielding them from oxidation and excessive sunlight.

View of one of the rooms at the Krone winery in Tulbagh. Courtesy Krone winery

In 2012, brother and sister Svend and Abigail Rands undertook a renovation of the winery to create a design-led estate that produces only vintage wines made using the Méthode Cap Classique (MCC). ‘Scent and taste have a lot of influence in wine, so they couple together nicely,’ Abigail reflects. At Krone, taste is both metaphorical and literal. The MCC refers to South African sparkling wines crafted using the traditional French méthode champenoise. Both techniques involve a second fermentation and maturation in the bottle, but South Africa’s relaxed winemaking regulations encourage experimentation and creativity, allowing winemakers to adapt the process to best express the terroir of each vintage. At Krone, the primary grape varieties – Chardonnay and Pinot Noir – are meticulously cultivated and harvested at night to lock in their freshness.

The result is a working winery with an elegant balance between the simplicity of Cape Dutch architectural heritage – whitewashed walls, minimal ornamentation and clean lines – and contemporary design elements. Externally, the estate maintains the appearance of a traditional working farm, but inside, modern industrial aesthetics take over. ‘The bones are beautiful, it feels timeless,’ Abigail says.

View of one of the rooms at the Krone winery in Tulbagh. Courtesy Krone winery

Glass panels, woven metallic light pendants, exposed wooden beams and sculptural metalwork punctuate the space. The South African designer Gregor Jenkin, renowned for collaborations with artists such as William Kentridge, has created furniture that blends Shaker and colonial influences in its curved metalwork. The furniture studio Meyer von Wielligh has crafted striking large-scale serving counters in metal and wood, while Wiid Design contributed handcrafted ceramic and fabric light fixtures, in keeping with its sustainable ethos.

Beyond the reception and tasting rooms, past the ancient whitewashed grain store, lies the Krone x Whatiftheworld gallery, a partnership with the cutting-edge Cape Town-based contemporary art gallery. The winery’s gallery acts as an extension of its urban counterpart, drawing visitors in for the exhibition programme before immersing them in the wines. The current exhibition, ‘Bidden or Unbidden, Enter the Hot Dream’ by Pierre Vermeulen, features ex-voto silver body parts (casts offered in the hope of healing the corresponding part of the body), meticulously arranged in large-scale compositions that feel both obsessive and meditative – much like the process of wine-making itself.

View of the restaurant at the Krone winery in Tulbagh. Courtesy Krone winery

The estate’s commitment to the arts extends to its artist-in-residence programme, offering artists a creative retreat free from commercial pressures. ‘With the residency programme, artists live with us for up to two months. It plays an essential role in the creative atmosphere of the farm,’ Abigail says. South African wineries have long supported artistic endeavours; at Krone the invitation-only residency lasts up to nine weeks, serving as a research and creative haven. Artists such as Mia Chaplin, Yadichinma Ukoha-Kalu, Lulama Wolf and Wezile Harmans have participated, contributing to an ever-evolving artistic legacy. This deep connection to fostering talent may stem from Abigail’s late father, Tim Rands, who mentored some of South Africa’s most innovative winemakers, including Marc Kent (Boekenhoutskloof), Callie Louw (Porseleinberg), and Rudiger Gretschel, who remains Krone’s cellar master.

Krone also extends its creative vision to gastronomy through its biannual Chefs in Residence programme. The inaugural edition, Get Your Lemons Out, welcomed culinary luminaries such as Fergus and Margot Henderson, their son Hector, and Rose Chalalai Singh, all of whom prepared interpretations of their signature dishes using locally sourced ingredients to pair with the wines made in this estate and by those who were mentored by Tim Rands. At Krone, winemaking and aesthetics infuse each other. As Abigail puts it, ‘If it weren’t for wine, I probably would have tried my hand at perfume.’

View of the restaurant at the Krone winery in Tulbagh. Courtesy Krone winery