Groot Phesantekraal: The Pirate, The Enslaved Woman, and Every Bottle That Tells Her Story

Angela van Bengal was enslaved by Jan van Riebeeck himself. Freed in 1666, she bought land on the Heerengracht (today's Adderley Street) -- becoming the first Black person to own land in the Cape Colony. Her daughter Anna married Olof Bergh, a Swedish explorer caught stealing from two shipwrecks who spent 4+ years on Robben Island. After prison, Bergh got farmland that became Groot Phesantekraal. When he died in 1724, Anna inherited everything -- unprecedented for a woman, let alone a formerly enslaved woman. Today, the "Anna de Koning" Chenin Blanc honours her story on every bottle.

What to do there

4 things to do

1. 1 Taste the Wine Named After a Pirate's Wife Wine · Price: moderate

   Anna de Koning Chenin Blanc - from slavery to wine dynasty

   Angela van Bengal arrived at the Cape from Bengal with three children. Sold to Jan van Riebeeck himself as a slave. When Van Riebeeck left in 1662, he sold them to Abraham Gabbema, who freed them in 1666. Angela then bought land on Heerengracht - today's Adderley Street, Cape Town's High Street. The FIRST BLACK LANDOWNER in the Cape Colony. Her daughter Anna married Olof Bergh - a Swedish explorer imprisoned for stealing treasures from a sunken ship near Cape Agulhas in 1682. When Olof died in 1724, Anna inherited everything. Unprecedented for a woman, let alone a formerly enslaved person. She left an estate that included Groot Phesantekraal AND Groot Constantia. Every bottle tells this story. Book the Reserve Tasting at Groot Phesantekraal tasting room, Klipheuwel Road (R302), Durbanville. Open Tue-Sat 9am-5pm, Sun 10am-4:30pm, last tastings 4pm. Walk-ins welcome. The Anna de Koning Reserve Chenin Blanc offers almond, ripe citrus, Cape gooseberry, juicy melon with creamy texture. Gold Veritas, 92 points Tim Atkin (2023), 4.5 stars Platter's (2024), Double Gold at Global Fine Wine Challenge. Read the back label. Ask the staff about Anna de Koning - they know this story. If Reserve Tasting unavailable, do the Estate Tasting (R170) and purchase a bottle to take home. Pair with cheese and charcuterie platter.

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2. 2 Hunt for the Pirate's Crime - Robbery on the High Seas History · Free

   Olof Bergh's double shipwreck plunder scandal

   Olof Bergh was a pirate. In June 1682, he was imprisoned for stealing treasures from a sunken ship near Cape Agulhas. Then in 1687, he did it AGAIN - caught stealing from a Portuguese shipwreck. He spent 4+ years imprisoned on Robben Island (the same prison where Mandela would be held centuries later). A letter from Holland ordered his release. Despite being jailed TWICE for stealing shipwreck treasure, he was later rehabilitated, reinstated in the government, and became a very wealthy landowner. In 1698, Governor Simon van der Stel granted him 12 morgen (10.3 hectares) of land - this exact farm, Groot Phesantekraal. A shipwreck plunderer became a wine farmer. Ask the staff: 'Can you tell me about Olof Bergh's pirate past?' or 'I read that the founder was imprisoned for robbery - is that true?' Some estates sanitize their history. Groot Phesantekraal acknowledges theirs. The Blue Plaque at the estate commemorates Anna de Koning and mentions her husband's 'tumultuous' past. At the tasting room or restaurant at Groot Phesantekraal. Look for historical displays or plaques about the founding family. The restaurant is named after this heritage - the estate embraces the wild origin story.

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3. 3 Spot Robben Island from the Vineyards Adventure · Free

   The view that connects 370 years of history

   From several Durbanville wine estates - including Groot Phesantekraal, Durbanville Hills, and Hillcrest - you can look across Table Bay and see Robben Island. That island is where Olof Bergh was imprisoned for 4+ years in the 1680s for shipwreck robbery. It's also where Nelson Mandela spent 18 of his 27 years of incarceration, from 1964 to 1982. The same prison, separated by 300 years. Mandela's release in 1990 triggered the end of apartheid. The lifting of sanctions in 1993 meant international wine orders arrived within WEEKS. South African wine production quadrupled between 1994 and 2004. You're sipping Sauvignon Blanc (Durbanville's signature grape) while looking at the place where both a pirate and a liberator were imprisoned. Stand outside anywhere on the property with a view north toward Table Bay. The tasting room has good sightlines. Robben Island is visible on clear days - a low, flat island about 7km offshore. Look north toward Table Mountain and Table Bay. Ask yourself: 'These vineyards existed and produced wine for Mandela's entire 27-year imprisonment. What changed?' If visibility is poor, visit Durbanville Hills separately - their Bastion tasting room has a 180-degree sweep from Table Mountain across Table Bay to Robben Island and beyond.

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4. 4 Lunch at the Estate That Changed History Adventure · Price: moderate · Optional

   The restaurant inspired by Angela and Anna's legacy

   The estate's restaurant honors Angela van Bengal's courage as the first Black landowner, Anna de Koning's inheritance against all odds, and Groot Phesantekraal's role as a working farm since 1698. The menu features seasonal, locally sourced ingredients that reflect Durbanville's terroir and Cape Malay influences (the cuisine created by enslaved people brought from Indonesia, India, and Madagascar). Pair your meal with estate wines while overlooking 30 hectares of vineyards planted to Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Syrah on Malmesbury shale and clay-iron soils. Groot Phesantekraal Restaurant, open Mon-Fri 8am-4:30pm, Sat-Sun 9am-4:30pm, kitchen closes 3:30pm. Reservations recommended: restaurant@phesantekraal.co.za or +27 21 825 0060. Order a dish with Cape Malay spices (bobotie, bredie, or sosaties if available) and pair with the estate Sauvignon Blanc or Chenin Blanc. Ask the staff about the restaurant's design inspiration - the connection to Angela and Anna's story is intentional. If the restaurant is fully booked, enjoy a cheese and charcuterie platter in the tasting room with vineyard views. More casual but still honors the estate's 328-year history.

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