From fallow land to award-winning wines: the Newstead story

Newstead Lund Family Vineyards, a relatively new wine estate, has established itself as one of the best producers of sparkling wine in South Africa. Owners Doug and Sue Lund spoke to Glenneis Kriel about their production philosophy, rise to success, and possible expansion plans.

- Glenneis Kriel

Newstead Lund Family Vineyards, one of the pioneers of the Plettenberg Bay Winelands in the Western Cape, made history when it became the first wine estate outside the traditional Cape Winelands to win the Best Overall Producer Award in the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge in 2020.

It solidified its position as a top Cap Classique producer by winning the award again in 2024.

What makes these achievements even more impressive is that Plettenberg Bay was only named a Wine of Origin region in 2006.

A WINNING TEAM

After Peter and Caroline Thorpe started wine production near Plettenberg Bay in 2000, Doug and Sue Lund, owners of Newstead Lund Family Vineyards, followed suit in 2006 when they bought 11,5ha of fallow land in the region. Here, they planted 6,5ha of vineyards in 2007 and the following two years, and have since built a cellar and restaurant.

While wine grape production was not yet established in the region when they arrived, the Lunds didn't see it as much of a gamble when they purchased the farm.

Doug explains that the terroir was comparable with that of Hawke's Bay in New Zealand, which they visited in the early 2000s.

"Hawke's Bay is best known for its cooler-climate wines. So, we planted cool-climate varieties like Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Pinot Noir, for which we have since won numerous awards and became renowned for," he says.

Along with this, they liked the creativeness and strong heritage that came with wine production, as well as the opportunity to build something new together.

"We used to visit Plettenberg Bay twice a year for polo and fell in love with the region. We are both third-generation farmers, with Newstead representing a departure for both of us from sugar and dairy farming in KwaZulu-Natal,” says Sue.