A farm carved from the land
... continued

This large freehold remained as one unit until 1903 when the owners, Messrs. van der Byl and Porter, sub-divided the farm latitudinally. The upper portion did not include any of Kamfer's original freehold grant.

It is one of history's inexplicable mysteries as to how this 200 ha upper portion became known as De Drie Sprong, but this is what Hans Otto Hoheisen purchased in January 1938. He initially intended the land, as a dream retirement home for himself and his wife, Deli, but these plans did not reach fruition.

Fruit trees and scrub were all that grew on Drie Sprong prior to the Hoheisen's arrival.

The change to wine farming was effected partially on the suggestion of Hans' German friends who knew the climate in the Cape to be suitable for the production of good wines.

Hans also believed that wines made on small estates could be of far better quality than some of the other larger-volume wines he had tasted. In 1940 he cleared the scrub that covered most of the land where vines could be planted - around the homestead. The higher part of the farm was too precipitous for cultivation. Through his own research and consulting with the eminent viticulturist, professor Perold, Hans selected Cape Riesling, Pinot Noir, Cabernet and Hanepoot with which to commence his wine farming.