If you’ve been paying attention to the subtle yet unmistakable shift in the wine world—the way fashion types have suddenly started name-dropping Stellenbosch and corking bottles of Swartland Chenin like it’s Chablis—you’ll know that South Africa is having a moment. A long-overdue one. But if there were ever a wine label poised to turn that moment into a movement, it might just be Belle Montagne.
Launched this year out of South Africa’s Franschhoek Valley, Belle Montagne is the kind of brand that doesn’t whisper about exclusivity—it builds a wine club so selective you have to apply to join. With its debut cuvée, a 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon of which only 1,000 bottles exist, the label is positioning itself as less a vineyard, more a luxury maison. And it’s working.
The wine, a layered expression of dark fruit, chocolate, and dried herbs, was created in collaboration with award-winning winemaker Coenie Snyman, who calls it “structured and ageable,” though it’s already drinking beautifully. It’s not just the wine that’s turning heads. Every detail—from the hand-stitched leather strap sealing the bottle to the Italian-textured Fedrigoni paper wrapping and velvet-lined wooden box—feels more Louis Vuitton trunk than winery merch.
Behind the label are Nick and Roslyn Holland, a South African couple with global taste and what seems like a designer’s eye for storytelling. Rather than simply slap their names on a label, they’ve gone full couture. The duo took over a historic Franschhoek farm, uprooted its underperforming 25-year-old vines, and began again—literally. With help from Vinpro, South Africa’s leading wine body, they mapped the terrain using heat sensors and soil analysis to replant for the long game. The estate’s first estate-grown vintage will be ready in 2027. Until then, this 2022 Cabernet serves as both a teaser and a statement of intent.
The label’s membership model mirrors the drop-culture mechanics of streetwear and the scarcity-driven tactics of luxury skincare. Only 500 memberships are available globally. Members receive three annual cuvées—Cabernet, Chardonnay, and Shiraz—delivered at their optimal release moments. Think of it as a wine calendar curated by someone who understands both terroir and timing.
And while the bottles are rare, the brand isn’t shy about its ambition. “Belle Montagne,” the press notes read, is not just a wine club, but “a symbol of African ambition, refinement, and excellence.” That may sound lofty, but maybe it’s time the global wine conversation got a little less French—and a lot more bold.
Applications for Belle Montagne’s Members Club are now open. Just don’t expect a waiting list—you’ll need a velvet rope-worthy reason to get in.
