Born into a committed enterprise, playing games among the vines and later longing to sample new vintages, meant that the Van Velden kids have always been inadvertently “groomed” into the family passion, and had no hesitation in succeeding their respective fathers as winemaker. This father-son succession spans four generations and is an absolute privilege in today’s business landscape.

Both Oom Braam and his father, David Snr, were literally born into the business – their deliveries taking place right here in the main house, where winemaker David now lives. It’s highly likely that their first sights, sounds and smells (besides that of their loving parents) were all things vinous.

Our current winemaker David, though born in a hospital, demonstrated the same kind of childhood passion as if he’d been among the very vines. Ever curious and enquiring, it became harder and harder for Braam (our third-generation winemaker) to keep him out of the cellar – and out of harm’s way. One early morning, five-year-old David arrived at the cellar door in his pyjamas, eager to participate in the cellar activities. Braam and his team were busy filtering, which required regular tasting to determine when the water had been pushed through and the pipes were full of wine. Braam succumbed to his little son’s remarkable eagerness and allowed him a taste of his very first glass of wine – provided he spat and did not swallow. The young opportunist abruptly swallowed the wine before returning the glass and running away swiftly.

Braam has such fond memories of his “free-range” childhood that he nurtured this freedom with his own children too. The whole farm was their playground, except of course for the dams (on account of the child-toe nibbling otters that magically disappeared once the kids knew how to swim) and the wine cellar (except by permission) – thus cultivating a perfect blend of love for nature and respect for winemaking processes.

This respect for wine always extended to the Sunday lunch table too – where, throughout the generations, children have been granted small sips of watered-down wine to savour and appreciate. Naturally, as they reached early adulthood, “waterwine” would no longer cut it, and they graduated to the pure and undiluted variety.

Today, these traditions still endure. Childhood stories are told and retold, and the family history repeats itself – these unassuming but powerful legacies enriching the ground for future generations of Van Velden winemakers.

Between the first Overgaauw bride of 1917, Oumagrootjie Moena, and the most recent Mrs Van Velden, Rina-Marie in 2010; wedding trends and tastes have naturally changed. Ten different brides from very different eras have each chosen distinct venues, fashions, food and flowers – from traditional church weddings to celebrations right here in the Shed and even some in the gardens, in the old kraal, the barrel maturation cellar and in a tent next to the dam. But not all tastes have changed. An ever-present guest at each wedding has been Overgaauw wine itself – swiftly arriving at every toast, every meal and at the bejewelled hand of every bride.

In a particularly inspired moment, David Snr, who had started the tasting room, came upon a photograph that epitomised two of his favourite things – Overgaauw wine and family celebrations. It was a picture of his son’s bride Annelie enjoying a glass of the estate’s wine, and he decided to frame and hang it on the wall of his new tasting room, built during the same year as the wedding – 1973.

As tends to happen at Overgaauw (and really, with all great ideas), it became a bit of a tradition, and the wedding photos of every Van Velden marriage thereafter included a shot of the happy bride with a glass of Overgaauw wine. These portraits now take pride of place in the tasting room, above the counter.

Unfortunately, not quite all the Van Velden brides are up there on the wall with our beloved wine. Oumagrootjie Moena, the first bride of Overgaauw wine estate and wife of the first winemaker, Abraham Julius van Velden, is absent. Sadly we couldn’t track down any of her wedding photos, probably because it was around 1917 and wedding photography was not the thriving industry that it is today. You might also notice that Ouma Jeanne (David Snr’s bride) is posed sans wine. This is because in 1948, polite society did not deem this kind of thing proper. But we like to believe that her glass was in fact present, just cleverly hidden behind her bouquet.

The Shepherd’s Cottage is an actual, bona fide, cottage on our farm – with the impressive status as the estate’s oldest structure. As the name suggests, it began its humble existence as a home for a shepherd – when sheep grazed this land back in the late 1700s.

But it was 200 years later, in 1972, that the charming little whitewashed house was renovated to take on the role it was always meant for – a cosy family home furnished with traditions both old and new. David Snr, the second generation winemaker in charge at the time, made some adjustments to convert it into a snug, two-roomed cottage – perfect as a starter house for a young family.

Janet and Pieter (Cheese) Hundersmarck were happy to claim first residency and inaugurate an Overgaauw custom that would be continued by a long line of Van Velden newlyweds. The rough rule was that you could live at Shepherd’s Cottage for a minimum of two years, or until the next couple got married and kicked you out (gently, of course). David’s son Braam and his wife Annelie were next in line, followed by Isabeau and Frik, Marguerite and Erik, Suzanne and Johann, Janet and Charl, present-day winemaker David and his wife Nicole, and today, Niel and Rina. And so continues a tradition of new beginnings, family celebrations, pregnancy announcements, many toasts, great wine, Bruce Springsteen records and legendary parties – all under one zinc roof.

In recent years, a roof and extra stoep section were added, but otherwise the beautiful home you see today is still the original structure – right up to the 250-year-old clay and bamboo ceiling. Over the many seasons, each young couple has come to know the unique and enduring character of the cottage: Its cool comfort in summer, the smokey fireplace of the freezing cold winter, the terrifying first cracks of acorns falling on the roof in the middle of an autumn night, the panicked cry of guinea-fowls outside, the spectacular view of one of many suns or moons that have risen over the age-old Stellenbosch mountains.

And then there’s also the scent – the smell of grape skins during the summer harvest, which moves silently indoors, mingling with the dust of old walls and new people, to make itself at home. It’s really no wonder then, that Shepherd’s Cottage – this intersection of memory, land and family – became the name of our new wine range. When we gathered to brainstorm a name, it featured on each person’s list of suggestions – a testament to the cottage’s special significance to each family member.

We like to think that these scents, sounds, celebrations and enduring traditions are somehow embodied in this wine range. In fact, if you enjoy a glass while taking in the magical view of the Stellenbosch mountains, you’re pretty much guaranteed to hear the faint strains of “Dancing in the Dark”.