10 Years of Thistle & Weed: How Plakkies Turned into International Awards

Khaki’s and plakkies - this was our outfit of the day 10 years ago on our first visit to Paarl, the home of our bush vine Chenin Blanc vineyard. We quickly learned that comfort and practicality are key after our shoes were covered in duwweltjie thorns before we even laid eyes on the vines. Defeated, we made our way back home but those pesky weeds followed us all the way there. Taking this as a sign, we swapped our plakkies for tekkies (but we definitely kept the khaki’s) and ventured back into the vineyards where we instantly fell in love. 

We knew we wanted these Thistles and Weeds to tell our story because the plants naturally occurring in a place reveal so much about its history, soil, climate, and season. The uncompromising tenacity and survival skills of grapevines have since been the inspiration behind every wine we’ve made.

The First Few Years

In 2016, we made our first vintage, reflective of the climate, vintage and vineyard. We used no bells and whistles: it was just honest wine, from the ground up. In 2017, our Duwweltjie Chenin Blanc went on to win a 5-star Platters award setting the stage for many more awards for our wines. Inspired by Portuguese-style field blends, in 2018, we set about crafting a white blend using unusual varieties. While Khakibos started out as 100% Verdelho, we always knew it was destined for more. We spent the next 3 years selecting the right constellation of vineyards to add Chenin Blanc, Alvarinho, Palomino and Fernão Pires to our white blend. This intention and passion paid off when Tim Atkin awarded us 95 points for our 2021 Khakibos blend. 

The best things in life come when you least expect them - this was the case with P. Jackson (ons laat lammetjie). As some grape parcels we were experimenting with for our Nastergal blend accumulated sugar rapidly while ripening on the vine, we chose to let them hang a little longer, resulting in a Cape Late-Bottled Vintage. After nearly four years in barrels, we had our first rich and complex fortified wine. 

A New Dawn at Leef op Hoop Farm

After one too many unconventional tastings on an upturned basket press, we decided to tame our wandering weeds and find a home for our barrels - and those wanting to taste what’s inside them. In early 2024, we opened the doors to our new Tasting Room on Leef op Hoop Farm in Jonkershoek Road, an unpretentious space where wine lovers can unwind and soak up life’s simple pleasures and our breathtaking views.

This career milestone also opened the figurative doors to a bounty of achievements and recognition for both of us. Our Brandnetel Chenin Blanc, Khakibos and Knapsekêrel all scored 95 points and above in Tim Atkin’s 2024 SA Report. As if this didn’t call for a big enough celebration; Steph was recognised as ‘Young Winemaker of the Year’ and Etienne’s Elmie Rosé won ‘Rosé of the Year’.

10 years after the seeds of Thistle & Weed were first planted, achievement and adventure have followed us as the duwweltjies stalked us home. Perched on our stoep looking back - the days seemed long but the years have been short yet packed with milestones reached and delicious wine aged. As we celebrate these 10 years passed, we can’t help but feel giddy over what the next 10 years have in store. Naturally, we couldn’t have done it without our dedicated team, growers, and most importantly, you, our longtime and devoted fans who have supported us all the way. Here’s to the next 10 years!