Situated 15 km from the sea in the eastern corner of the Agulhas Wine Region, Sijnn Wines is a beautiful, pioneering estate in the middle of nowhere at the Southern tip of Africa in Malgas. The journey to Sijnn is an adventure, taking you along a gravel road through rugged terrain that leads to a truly remote destination. 

Founders David and Rita Trafford discovered the future Sign land while on holiday in Malgas in 2000. The soil and landscape reminded them of Portugal, and they were immediately intrigued. A purchase agreement and more than 200 soil profiles later, about 10 hectares of vines were planted, christening the estate Sijnn Wines—a name inspired by the Khoisan word for riverbank. The winery has stunning views of the Breede River.

The soil consists mainly of Puddingstone strewn land (the natural stone mulch), underneath at various depths, this layer gives way to fractured Shale in various states of decomposition and soil fertility. On the steeper slopes, the Puddingstones have mostly washed away to reveal the underlying Shale, typical Renosterveld soil. 

Renosterveld is part of the Fynbos Biome but is distinctly different, generally lacking the Proteas, Ericas and Restios (Reeds). Renosterveld is one of the richest ecosystems in the world, mostly due to its extraordinary bulb diversity. Only 5% of Renosterveld remains and Sijnn have entered an Easement Agreement with the Overberg Renosterveld Conservation Trust to protect the 31 hectares of pristine Renosterveld on the Sijnn Estate. A variety of birds and animals can be spotted at the estate.