A Regenerative Era in Winemaking Begins Welcome to the Hartenberg Family, Reynie Oosthuizen
We are delighted to welcome our new head winemaker, Reynie Oosthuizen. With 13+ years of experience and a serious love for Shiraz – with a recent Decanter gold medal to prove it – Reynie brings fresh energy, technical expertise and site-driven focus to our cellar.
With a B.Sc. Agric. in Viticulture and Oenology from Stellenbosch University, Reynie’s winemaking career includes key roles at Warwick and Rust en Vrede, followed by seven vintages as winemaker and viticulturist at Kleinood/Tamboerskloof. Now he steps into an exciting new chapter, leading our efforts to deepen the connection between regenerative farming and wine expression. He joins forces with Viticulturist Wilhelm Joubert, forming a formidable regenerative winemaking and viticulture team and connecting vineyard and cellar under one shared vision of pioneering regenerative excellence.
Reynie’s arrival comes at a pivotal time. At Hartenberg, our winemaking philosophy is ‘the secret is in the soil’ – healthy soil produces exceptional wine – and we recently achieved South Africa’s first regenerative viticulture verification under the Ecological Outcome Verification (EOV) framework.
Reynie brings next-generation winemaking techniques to build on our achievements with his knowledge of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Shiraz/Syrah. He joins an experienced cellar team, many of whom have dedicated over two decades to Hartenberg.
“I am passionate about driving innovation in winemaking and leveraging technical knowledge to create high-quality, site-expressive wines. I am excited to bring regenerative viticulture into the wines in new ways and to contribute to Hartenberg’s legacy.”
– Reynie Oosthuizen
When not in the vineyards or cellar, Reynie is with his family – his wife, two daughters and their two high-energy Vizslas, Oliver and Archie. He also enjoys freshwater fishing, spending time outdoors and staying active.
“We are thrilled to have Reynie with us as a new regenerative era in winemaking begins and we continue to grow our wines, people and environment.”
– Kobus Potgieter
Welcome to the Hartenberg family, Reynie!