Mischa Farm has been in the Barns family for three generations, bought by Kelpie Barns in 1947, shortly after his return from active service in the 2nd World War in North Africa and Italy. Unable to settle down to a nine-to-five routine in the city and refusing to take another order from anyone, Kelpie and his wife, ballet dancer Yvonne Blake, decided to go farming! Not the most obvious, or easiest of decisions, but one which they never regretted. Having changed the name of the farm to Mischa, evoking links to Yvonne’s time with Ballet Russe in Paris and in recognition of a family friend and fighter pilot who died in WW2, they established a mixed farming operation. In the late sixties Kelpie started to graft vines on a small scale. Their son, John, further developed the business to what is today one of the Cape’s leading ‘stokkies’ nurseries. 

Enter the 3rd generation in the shape of John’s 3 sons. Andrew, the oldest, took his first tentative steps in winemaking in 1999 to great acclaim and his award-winning wines sold out almost immediately! A new cellar was built in 2000 and extended to make room for a barrel store in 2004. Winemaker Andrew’s stained T-shirt, baggy shorts and disarmingly casual manner belie the fact that this is a young man with a mission to put Mischa Wine Estate “on the map”.

 

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Region

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North of Paarl, in the heart of the Paarl Wine of Origin region, lies the small town of Wellington. Officially part of the Paarl wine region, Wellington boasts its own compact wine route and its own character. Wine growing conditions are excellent with soils similar to those of the rest of the Paarl region. Most of the vineyards are located on the banks of the Berg River to the west of Wellington - a hot, dry-land area eminently suited to the production of red wine. The majority of South Africa's vine-cutting nurseries are also found here.

Profile

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Mischa Estate is a family owned and operated company bought in 1947 by winemaker, Andrew Barn's, grandfather. He chose this Wellington farm because of its view of Table Mountain. The farm was named after his grandmother's Russian dance partner Mikael, in the Ballet Russe - Mischa is the nickname for Mikael. Mischa soon became the 3rd largest vine nursery in the southern hemisphere. Andrew makes great and creative wines. Each has its own character and personality. They are full of strength but with natural balance which comes with the soil and climate where naturally high acid levels combine with perfectly ripe fruit from top quality, perfectly healthy vinyeards - as you would expect from a nurseryman's son.

Green Credentials

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