“What I enjoy most about winemaking is you get dealt the cards, and you don’t really know what you are going to get – it’s all up to nature. So you can either have a great year or a not-so-great year, but it’s what you make of it.”
Dreaming to be a winemaker as a young boy, Warren started helping his dad in the winery at a young age. Warren joined the Neil Ellis team in 2006 and was appointed chief winemaker in 2012. He holds both a BSc in viticulture and oenology and an MSc Agric in viticulture from the University of Stellenbosch. He has also travelled the European wine world doing research on cellar technology and viticulture.
Today, Warren continues his father’s vision in producing wines, working with sustainable and like-minded growers, growing outstanding grapes and applying minimal intervention to make exciting wines with a strong sense of place.
45% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Cabernet Franc, 15% Petit Verdot, 10% Merlot, 5% Malbec
Wine of Origin Jonkershoek Valley
This wine is a Left Bank Bordeaux-style blend, comprising Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Merlot, and Malbec. Notably, all the blending components are sourced from the same estate as our iconic Jonkershoek Cabernet Sauvignon.
Tasting Notes: Aromas of cassis, dark cherries rolling into liquorice. The palate is dense and concentrated with a well-defined core of chalky tannins defining the structure of the wine.
Ready for drinking from 2025 to 2035.
Winemaker: Warren Ellis
44% Merlot, 41% Cabernet Franc, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine of Origin Jonkershoek Valley
This wine is a Right Bank Bordeaux-style blend, consisting of Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon. All the blending components originate from the same Estate as our iconic Jonkershoek Cabernet Sauvignon. It’s worth noting that this blend is not typical of Neil Ellis Wines, and it is exclusively featured for the Guild.
Tasting Notes: Aromas of cherries, wild berries and rose petals with subtle hints of liquorice, followed by a medium-bodied, beautifully layered vibrant palate concluding with a mouth-watering chalky finish.
Ready for drinking from 2025 to 2035.
Winemaker: Warren Ellis
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
Wine of Origin Jonkershoek Valley
Tasting Notes: Intense dark colour. The nose shows restraint, with aromas of cassis and cedar, so typical of the Jonkershoek Valley. The palate is nervous and fresh; followed by fine, dense and tight tannins. A wine that is built to last.
Ready for drinking 2025 to 2034.
Winemaker: Warren Ellis
100% Tempranillo
Wine of Origin Bottelary
Tasting Notes: A subtle nose reflecting dark and red cherries, violets, herbs, and tobacco leading into a leathery finish. The palate is dense and complex, packed with dark berries and plum which unfold with great length, freshness and balance, followed by fine, dry, yet smooth tannins.
50 cases of this wine were sold on the 2021 auction.
Winemaker: Warren Ellis
100% Cabernet Sauvignon
A single vineyard, small batch, whole-berry fermentation was initiated in a stainless steel tank. The grapes underwent a series of punch-downs and pump-overs until dry. No barrels were used maturing this wine, a pure expression of Cabernet Sauvignon from the Jonkershoek Valley.
Tasting Notes: Intense dark colour. The nose shows restraint, with aromas, of cassis and cedar, so typical of the Jonkershoek Valley. The palate is nervous and fresh, followed by fine, dense and tight tannins. A wine that is built to last.
Ready for drinking now until 2033.
Winemaker: Warren Ellis
100% Tempranillo
Whole-berry fermentation is initiated in a stainless steel tank. The grapes underwent a series of punch-downs and pump-overs until dry. Malolactic fermentation completed in new and second fill French oak barrels. This wine spent 18 months in 50% new French oak barrels and 50% in second fill.
Tasting Notes: A subtle nose reflecting dark and red cherries, violets, herbs and tobacco leading into a leathery finish. The palate is dense and complex, packed with dark berries and plum which unfolds with great length, freshness and balance, followed by fine, dry, yet smooth tannins.
Optimal drinking now, and for the next 15 years.
This wine is packed in a wooden box.
Winemaker: Warren Ellis
100% Tempranillo
Whole-berry fermentation is initiated in a stainless steel tank. The grapes underwent a series of punch-downs and pump-overs until dry. Malolactic fermentation completed in new and second fill French oak barrels. This wine spent 18 months in 50% new French oak barrels and 50% in second fill.
Tasting Notes: A subtle nose reflecting dark and red cherries, violets, herbs and tobacco leading into a leathery finish. The palate is dense and complex, packed with dark berries and plum which unfolds with great length, freshness and balance, followed by fine, dry, yet smooth tannins.
Optimal drinking now, and for the next 15 years.
This wine is packed in a wooden box.
Winemaker: Warren Ellis
100% Tempranillo
Wine of Origin Bottelary
Whole berry fermentation is initiated in stainless steel tank. The grapes underwent a series of punch-downs and pump-overs until dry. Malolactic fermentation completed in new and second fill French oak barrels. This wine spent 18 months in 60% new French oak barrels and 40% in second fill.
Tasting Notes: A subtle nose reflecting dark cherry and violets, with herbaceous characters and a leather finish. The palate, dense and complex, is packed with dark berries and plum and unfolds with great length, freshness and balance. 40 cases of this wine were previously sold on the 2018 CWG Auction.
Ready for drinking now and over the next 5 – 10 years.
Winemaker: Warren Ellis
A vineyard selected blend from two premium sites, known to grow quality grapes of distinct style. The Tempranillo, from the Bottelary hills, overlooking False Bay. The Cabernet Sauvignon is from the Jonkershoek Valley. These exquisite parcels were fermented separately. A series of punch-downs and pump-overs were employed to manage extraction. Blending commenced in September 2013 to give these components enough time to marry. The wine spent 18 months in French oak barrels.
Tasting Notes: Dark, intense garnet colour. A subtle nose of dark and red cherries, violets and perfumed notes leading into masala spice and tobacco finish. The palate is elegant yet complex and dense. Dark berries and liquorice unfolds into an elegant and lengthy balanced palate.
Optimal for drinking now until 2029.
Winemaker: Warren Ellis
Whole berry fermentation is initiated in a stainless steel tank. The grapes underwent a series of punch-downs and pump-overs until dry. Malolactic fermentation completed in new and second fill French oak barrels. This wine spent 18 months in 60% new French oak barrels and 40% in second fill.
Winemaker: Warren Ellis
Whole berry fermentation is initiated in a stainless steel tank. The grapes underwent a series of punch-downs and pump-overs until dry. Malolactic fermentation completed in new and second fill French oak barrels. This wine spent 18 months in 60% new French oak barrels and 40% in second fill.
Winemaker: Warren Ellis
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