Hectares upon hectares of grapes line the North Western slopes of the Orange River. In this vibrant valley, with its fertile soil, Dyasonsklip is one of the landmarks.
The farm area Dyasonsklip or Dyason's Klip was named after Field Adjutant W. Dyason, who died on the 10th of April 1879 during the Second Korana (Border) War at age 28.

Dyason was a young commander in the Northern Border Horse battalion. A large dry riverbed, called Kowens Leegte, snakes through the farm area and enters the Orange River. Near this confluence, four huge rocks, reaching 12m into the sky, are hunched close together, forming a natural defensive structure.

Dyason and his men were in pursuit of five rebel soldiers and followed spoor down Kowens Leegte and came upon the rebels, holed up in the natural rock formation. The exact events that followed are lost in history, but it is known that three rebels were killed, as well as Field Adjutant William Dyason. The rock formation that ultimately cost him his life was named Dyason's Klip (Dyason's Rock) in his honor. Today Dyason's grave can still be found on Dyasonsklip, now a commercial farm area.

Bezalel is a proud, family run farm, currently owned and managed by 3rd and 4th generation Bezuidenhouts. Several grape cultivars are grown - SugraOne, Thompson Seedless, Reagal, Colombard, Shardinay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage, Shiraz, Merlot, Tinta Barroca, Cornifesto, Toriga Franseca, Toriga National, Sangiovese, Nebbiolo, Mourvèdre and Rubernette.

At Dyasonsklip Cellar, wooden casks are used to store and mature the red wines. All the red/black grape cultivars are harvested by hand, at the optimum sugar level and day temperatures. The harvested grapes are then put through a machine that removes all the stems and crushes 90% of the grapes. Cold maceration on the skins take place for 1–2 days, after which fermentation takes place in open top fermenters. Punch downs are done every four hours to extract colour and flavour. This process gives the juice it's defining red/purple colour and turns the grape juice into red wine. The wine is then stored in casks to start the maturing process. The grape peel left over from the fermentation process is then hydraulically pressed, to produce rebate wine, which is used to distill the brandies and witblits. The left over grape peel and stems are then used to make organic plant food, which is used to fertilize the vineyards.

Cabernet Sauvignon:

A robust red for the connoisseur. The 'noblest of all grapes', the Cabernet Sauvignon produces a complex, elegant, and strong-bodied wine that ages with grace. Plum, currant and black cherry flavours.

Secret Dry Red:

Made from selected Pinot Noir, with a dash of Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and some Merlot to round it off.

Fruity Dry Red:

Incredibly Fruity Dry Red, with very low tannin levels and a delicate pallet.

Muscat de Alexandre:

The taste of honey and raisins mixed with a smell of blossoming wild flowers.

Merlot:

A luscious wine, soft in fruit but capable of great richness with alluring flavors of berries and chocolate. Hints of anise and subtle tannins complement the decadent, silky finish.

Pinotage:

A almost fruity, dark red wine with an odd earthy character, banana, marmite and elegant berry flavors with slight wood.

Pinot Noir:

Produced under these climatic conditions this is a velvet-smooth wines.

Roobernet:

A new South African Cultivar, stemming from Pontac and Cabernet Sauvignon.

South African brandy making celebrates a history dating back 325 years, but despite its tradition, its brandy makers continue to strive for perfection as New World pioneers.
In the late 17th century, sailors on the long and arduous voyages of discovery between Europe and the Far East broke their journey at the southernmost tip of the African continent. In due course, the Dutch established a replenishment station at the Cape for ships rounding Africa.

They discovered that South Africa did not only offer great beauty and excellent weather; but that the Mediterranean climate at the foot of Africa was ideal for growing grapes for wine, from which fine brandies are also made.

Five year Pot Stilled Brandy:
Fruit of the Vine: The Pot-stilled Brandy is made exclusively from grapes planted on Bezalel Dyasonsklip, which offers a unique and outstanding environment for wine making. With its chalky, stony soil and sunny temperate climate the region is perfect for vine growing.

The vineyards of South Africa are divided into 52 growing areas (locally known as Wards), each with its different characteristics. To ensure the exceptional quality of the Brandy, only rebate wines from the lush and fertile Orange River Valley are used, which have the best topsoil and very chalky subsoil.

The grape varieties covering most of the vineyards used for the production of the Brandy is pinot noir and colombard; the colombard produces a light, fruity white wine with high levels of acid and a delicate character, whereas the Pinot Noir is turned into an elegant, supple red wine, which lays a good foundation for a superb Pot-stilled brandy.

Distillation: Bezalel’s Brandy is not just any spirit but an alembic brandy, which keeps the essence of the initial wine, losing little of its pleasant, much sought-after aromas. Bezalel uses the double distillation method, which has been in existence since the sixteenth century.

Throughout the high summer, until the end of March, the copper alembics (pot-stills) work continuously to turn the wine into rebate brandy or witblits . The first distillation (at 90 degrees Celcius) yields a distillate called brouillis (55% alc.), which concentrates the richest floral aromas. The brouillis is then distilled.

This second distillation (at 70 degrees) gives a more refined and stronger alcohol named the coeur or heart. It takes nine litres of wine to produce one litter of rebate brandy coeur .

This coeur (79-80% vol.) is a crystal clear spirit, which will become Pot-Stilled or alembic Brandy after a long and natural maturing process in small French casks. Before the aging begins, samples are taken by Customs Officers and analyzed to see if it meets the required standards. When approved for human consumption, the rebate brandy is placed in Oak Casks to graciously mature for five years.

Aging: The slow and natural ageing in oak casks develops the aromas, flavours and colours of Bezalel Brandy. While ageing, the rebate brandy loses some of its strength and volume. Each year, about 2% evaporates from the barrels. In France this is dubbed 'the Angels' Share'. Evaporation eliminates the very volatile substances, leaving those that give the brandy its bouquet. Bezalel's Pot-stilled Brandy is the result of many rebate brandies with various characteristics that are assembled over time by our master blender.

The Art of Blending: Bezalel’s Brandy is blended to a particular pattern, which is the secret of its composition. To preserve the original character of the rebate brandies, with their spicy, floral, fruity or woody notes, the master blender leaves them to mature until they are just right for blending. He chooses them for their complementary qualities, nuances and aromas and makes a trial blend. After tasting, comparison and adjustment, this becomes the first blend.

It will be sent back to the cellars to age for an appointed time before being combined with other first blends to make the final blend, which may even then be fine-tuned. From the selection of the rebate brandy to the final blend, the master blender and his team take the tasting sessions very much to heart. Each year they draw up a descriptive inventory of all the batches of maturing rebate brandy to monitor their development. Bezalel’s master blender then decides on the fate of each batch.

The farm's main production is table grapes, with an average export rate of 35,000 cartons per season. The season normally stretches between the last week of November and the first week of January. Bezalel also has an extensive Mampoer Range, Chocolate Liqueurs and Witblits. The Mampoer range includes a wicked Prickly Pear, Peach, Lime and Carrot flavour.

Bezalel Dyasonsklip offers all the facilities necessary to host conferences, seminars, wedding receptions, birthday-, dinner- and corporate parties - from flip charts to tablecloths. Breakfast, lunch and traditional meals for groups are served. Bezalel can accommodate seventy people inside a temperature controlled venue, with an extra garden and pool area that can accommodate another 100 people.

A 'farm barn' type venue, with adjoining garden area, capable of housing 250 people is also available. Bezalel also has the necessary material and expertise to adjust the venue's ceiling height, and mount wall drapings to fit with party themes or help create the right atmosphere for an occasion.

Bezalel also offers a number of other activities on the farm.

Wine Tasting events:

Wine tasting events that include all the major Northern Cape Wines can be organized and hosted by Bezalel. Bezalel will supply the wines, the snacks or even a dinner and some entertainment.

Lunches and Picnics:

Traditional lunches and picnic baskets are available. Visitors can choose between an air conditioned area, or outside in the lovely Orange Valley greenery.

Celestial (Heavenly Bodies) and Traditional Tours.

"Seeing is believing".

Game Drives:

Day and Night drives to see all the wild game the Northern Cape has to offer.

OpenAfrica.org

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Standard tours on offer:

Donkey Cart Project:

Oranjerus offers five types of accommodation:

Daytrips to the following areas can be arranged: