HISTORY

In 1685, Martin Pouisseon, a French Huguenot refugee from religious persecution was granted a farm by the Dutch authorities at the Cape. He named it “Slent”. The meaning of the name is unknown, but we think it possibly is an old form of “slant”or “aslant” as the farm is situated on the lower slopes of Perdeberg (Horse Mountain, named for the large herds of zebra that once roamed its hillsides and valleys). Originally a huge farm, subdivisions for younger sons, or daughter’s dowries, have reduced the arable portion to 170 hectares (420 acres), with a separate mountain portion, “High Slent”, of approx. 280 ha (+-692 acres.)

LOCATION

Slent is about 60 km from Cape Town on the N1 motorway, and 22km. from Paarl and Wellington, the nearest towns. The farm lies on the southern slope of the mountain, with panoramic views across 50 km. of valley to Lion’s Head, Signal Hill and Table Mountain in the west. The southern aspect on a clear day includes the whole Peninsula chain to Cape Point, across False Bay to Rooi Els and the Hottentots’ Holland, Jonkershoek, Franschhoek, Groot Drakenstein and Simonsberg mountains; to the east the Klein Drakenstein and Wemmershoek ranges. The views are unsurpassed and always beautiful.

THE FARM

The farm has 3 dams, one small one in the spring catchment area which is used for gravity irrigation to the upper vineyards and orchards. The whole of the upper reaches of the mountain have been declared a Conservancy Area, and all 400-odd farmers owning mountain land are voluntary members of the Perdeberg Conservancy, which seeks to maintain the pristine condition of the flora and fauna, and to manage their farms and train their staff in fire awareness so that the rare fynbos on the mountain is not subjected to too frequent fires.

The soul of Africa resides at Slent, at the foot of the Perdeberg. Nature offers thrilling golden red sunsets that encompass Table Mountain. It also offers you unbelievable surprises….like finding a family of baboons delighting in our Shiraz grapes. It’s a unique sight. They meander though the grapevines picking the ripest bunch and carry it under their arms to then lose it on picking another one. The loss is not irreparable; our watchdogs send them away and let us harvest what becomes the content OF AYAMA WINES IN EVERY bottle.

IN HARMONY WITH NATURE

There is a lot of small game on Slent, and this too is protected with a total ban on trapping or hunting with dogs. Caracal (lynx), Cape fox, Bat-eared Fox, Duiker, Grysbok, Steenbok, Chacma Baboon, Porcupine and many small mammals such as otter and mongoose are also seen. Game birds are occasionally shot in season. Birdlife in the area is prolific, and many of the Western Cape Bird Clubs come out for a day’s birding.

OUR WINES

We wanted OURWINES to be respectful of Africa’s soul, a continent where everything is spirit, Passion, love and respect for the African terroir. AYAMA embraces this land with all of its contradictions and greatness. You will be amazed at how your soul is able to sense the heat of the African sun WHEN SIPPING OUR WINES. SO WHY NOT Treat yourself to a moment of silence, imagining crisp grapes under the African sun that have been grown and gathered by men that have been living at the winery for years. The merit for OUR WINES goes to them.

Close your eyes and feel the freshness of South African winters, when after healthy rains, AIR is blowing and sun is shining on green open spaces. In love with South African lands, OUR WINES ARE capricious and faithful with great character, profoundly linked to the producer's personality who believes in it and who knows how to make it sometimes curious and fun, strict and authoritative, jealous and intransigent.

Our farm has a leopard that lives in the mountains, protected by men. AYAMA is dedicated to nature. To a leopard that perhaps, one day, we shall be lucky enough to see.