Tim James enjoys the Beins, their tiny cellar, and their merlot

It was a characteristically low-key, generous-spirited and friendly affair last week, the official roof-wetting of Ingrid and Luca Bein’s smart but tiny cellar in the Polkadraai Hills just outside Stellenbosch.

This must be the smallest ‘proper’, thoroughly professional, winemaking cellar in the Cape (no – or very little – disrespect intended to the occasional bathtub and garage producing some interesting stuff). It appears, though, to be excellently designed and equipped – and it is, after all, just the right size for the produce of just over two hectares of vineyard.

And precisely the right size for the plans of Luca and Ingrid Bein, the proud, modest and dedicated owners of these merlot vines, and of the little winery which is now preparing to take in its latest harvest of around 12 000 bottles-worth of wine.

The Beins’ ambitions are all for quality, not quantity, and they have no desire to expand. Hovering in mind is the image of the great Château Pétrus in Pomerol in Bordeaux, also a tiny producer essentially dedicated to merlot. Their own farm is actually named Petrus Place – a happy coincidence that must have played its part in convincing them to take on the project.

Now comfortably middle-aged, Ingrid and Luca had been frequent visitors to the Cape from their native Swizerland before they finally took the plunge after being offered this farm with its splendid views across to False Bay. This was in 1992 – prices were comparatively reasonable then, they sigh with relief – they couldn’t afford to buy it now.

At the time they were both veterinarians in Switzerland – an orientation to animals reflected in their delightful crest and the braying, barking and crowing around their house near the winery. But their determination to do things properly in this new phase of their lives took them back to university, and they both studied (in what were still essentially foreign languages to them) oenology and viticulture at Stellenbosch – Luca in fact took the class prize.

The maiden Bein Merlot vintage was 2002 – not really an auspicious year, but the wine was good. It was even better in 2003 and continues progress with the just-released 2004 (which Grape will soon be sampling and rating officially; we gave the 2003 vintage a positive four stars in Grape 25). Theirs is never a blockbuster-style wine – though it can perform well enough in shows for the 2003 to have won a worthwhile gold medal at the Concours Mondial in Canada – as the Beins’ focus is on the traditional virtues of elegance and drinkability in modern guise.

There is conscious ripeness there – but not too much; and supportive French oaking – but not too much; there is balance and the promise of harmony, for these are wines that should mature well over a good few years, although they are delicious enough to give pleasure in their youth. Actually, it is difficult to imagine that these two could even contemplate making a brash wine….

Putting everything into merlot is brave, perhaps, given that it is a variety which has so far produced comparatively few seriously good wines in the Cape. Bein Merlot, though, after only a few years, is already surely among South Africa’s best – and what more can one ask than that it continue to improve each year, as the vines mature and respond to the meticulous care that’s possible when there are only 80 rows to lovingly tend?

It’s not always the case that nice wine is made by nice people. When it happens, the pleasure experienced in all of them is all the greater.

• More information, pictures, details of visiting hours, etc, are available on the Bein Wine website