Nestled within a natural amphitheatre shaped by the vertical cliffs of the spectacular Simonsberg Mountain, lies Vrede en Lust Estate – home to the wines produced and bottled by the Buys family. The history of Vrede en Lust Estate is a story of passion, vision, and resurrection, which goes as far back as 1688 when Flemish merchant Jacques de Savoye arrived at the Cape with the French Huguenots. De Savoye immediately started improving the 60 morgen (55Ha) of land that starts at the Bergriver valley floor and runs up the eastern foothills of the majestic Simonsberg Mountain. More than 10 000 vines were planted by 1691, which grew to 80 000 by 1780. Since the De Savoye reign, Vrede en Lust Estate has changed hands a number of times and in 1996, when the Buys family became the 17th owners, they embarked on a programme of renewal to fully realise the exceptional winemaking potential of the land. Today this breathtakingly modern wine farm, a family owned and managed wine business, is a tribute to its noble roots and continues to build on over 320 years of history and heritage.