As one of South Africa's leading ambassadors and one of the most recognisable faces in the world of sport, it is befitting that Ernie chose South Africa and Stellenbosch to produce his wine.

The idea was born from a long-standing friendship between Ernie and Jean Engelbrecht and based on the vision to produce a wine that would capture everything that Ernie stands for: big in stature and gentle in character.

In 1999, Jean and Ernie established Engelbrecht Els Vineyards and in December 2004, opened their dream cellar on the slopes of the Helderberg Mountain in Stellenbosch. When the friendship and expertise of their respective professions came together, Jean and Ernie

set out to create an extraordinary wine. The aim with the wine is to capture everything that Ernie stands for: big in stature and gentle in character.

Embracing the talents of winemaker Louis Strydom, who has produced the only South African wine to be nominated four years consecutively as one of the Top 100 wines in the world, they created the Ernie Els wine, a classic Bordeaux blend comprising of five varietals - Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot.

"As Ernie is setting the standard in the inter-national sporting arena, so are we dedicated to superior quality and excellence in this unique venture," says Jean.