Hein Koegelenberg is well placed to take advantage of great opportunities, and the new L'Huguenot Wine brand is a perfect example of being in the right place at the right time and having the resources to make things happen. 3 years ago he was asked to provide a range of wines into China by one of his partners there and within 3 months he had created the brand, and had over 200 containers of the wine shipped to China! No small feat. And now it is time to open a brand home for L'Huguenot, and partnering with Springbok swimmer Ryk Neethling seemed like the right thing to do. The old cellar on Val de Vie has been restored and is now a modern and stylish tasting venue. The arched barrel cellar is available for functions for 400 people... not easy to find in the winelands. Ryk has been instrumental in taking the Val de Vie Polo and residential estate outside Paarl to new heights, and with their recent acquisition of Pearl Valley, it will be one of the biggest residential estates in the country. My only disappointment is that the L'Huguenot wines are not available to taste in South Africa, and I am sure it is just a matter of time before this is overcome!