User:TheWordfish/sandbox

De Grendel is an historic wine farm located on the slopes of Tygerberg in the Durbanville area of Cape Town. Owned for four generations by the Graaff family, it is currently in the hands of Sir David Graaff, 3rd Baronet of De Grendel who inherited the farm from his father Sir De Villiers Graaff, 2nd Baronet of De Grendel. The farm first came into the hands of the Graaff family when it was bought by Sir David Pieter De Villiers Graaff, the 1st Baronet in 1890. The farm is managed by De Villiers Graaff, son of Sir David.

First used by Sir David Graaff as a gentleman's estate to breed Arab horses and Holstein cows, the 8000 hectare farm is now home to a popular restaurant and an award-winning winery famous for its Merlot, Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc.

At the 2014 China Wine and Spirits Awards, De Grendel took home four medals: De Grendel Rubaiyat 2011 and De Grendel Pinot Noir 2012 won gold, De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc 2014 silver while De Grendel Merlot 2012 and De Grendel Shiraz 2012 took home bronze.

The farm was originally built in 1720 on the northwest side of Tyberberg Mountain. The original deed for this freehold farm was given to Claas Mayboom, who was awarded 53.473 Morgen roods ( 45.8 hectares) along with the neighbouring Platte Kloof by the second Governor van der Stel in May. His son, Floris inherited the farm in 1738 and before it passed to Daniel van Reenen under the British quitrent land system in 1843 and the farm size increased to 363.579 morgen roods (311.4 hectares).

The farm was named De Grendel ("the latch" in Dutch) because it served as a gateway between Cape Town and Stellenbosch.