152 of 800: Stellekaya Wines in Stellenbosch, South Africa
I was invited to a private tasting at Stellekaya Wines, a family-run boutique winery run by Jane and Dave Lello. Their beautiful family home is set in the middle of their vineyards and is completely off the grid and energy saving.
Be careful if you put this winery in your GPS because it could take you to their cellar which is in a totally different location from the estate. You will know you are in the right location when you see the pink farm-style house on the top of the hill, it really does stand out! The hill up to the estate is not paved and so sports cars with low suspension are not recommended.
Jane and Dave Lello joyfully poured the wine themselves and expressed their passion for the industry ensuring their vineyards are well maintained. Their two Rottweilers ensure that the fields are kept safe from the likes of baboons who are known to venture down the mountain to much on a grape or two.
We tasted through six wines namely:
- The new Cygnus Rose
- Sangiovese
- Merlot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- The Orion Blend
- The Orion Blend reserve
We were also fortunate enough to meet with the female winemaker, Rose Kruger who produced the Sangiovese Rose (a maiden vintage for the estate). It is absolutely fabulous and has even won gold at the Rose Rocks competition 2021. Well done team!
I was so impressed by the superb quality of these wines of which are well sought after overseas. Stellekaya means “Home of the Stars” and so you will recognise the Stellekaya wines by the different depictions of star constellations on their labels. The wines range from R129 – R590 a bottle.
To contact Stellekaya Wines:
Tel: 066 549 6015
Wine tasting by special appointments only.