Delheim

Delheim is a family-owned wine estate in Stellenbosch, South Africa, nestled on the slopes of the Simonsberg. Its history dates back to 1699, when Cape Governor Simon van der Stel granted these lands to Lourenz Kamfer; in the late 1930s the farm, then called Driesprong, was purchased by Hans Otto Hoheisen and his wife Deli, who planted the first vines there in the early 1940s. The first vintage dates from 1948 and in 1961 the property took the name Delheim, 'the home of Deli'.

A central figure at the estate was Michael 'Spatz' Sperling, Deli's nephew, who arrived in South Africa in 1951 and became a legend of South African wine: in 1971 he was among the promoters of the country's first wine route, the Stellenbosch Wine Route, and in the same year he acquired the Delvera property, whose Vera Cruz vineyards, dedicated to his wife Vera, are suited to great red wines. Today the company is led by his children Victor Sperling and Nora Thiel, who live on the estate with their families.

The estate covers 375 hectares and brings together viticulture and nature conservation. Delheim is a WWF Conservation Champion, a founding member of the Greater Simonsberg Conservancy and is home to mountain fynbos, including the rare Boland Granite Fynbos, a yellowwood forest and numerous animal species, from caracal to the Cape leopard. In the vineyards, regenerative viticulture practices are implemented, with a focus on water and energy efficiency and on the well-being of staff.

This commitment has been recognized with awards such as the Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices Award, the Nedbank Green Award and, in 2024, the Best of Wine Tourism Conservation Pioneer Award.

Family heritage, the Simonsberg terroir and respect for the environment make Delheim one of the most authentic estates in Stellenbosch.