1487
1487
Portuguese explorer Bartolomeu Dias navigates the tip of southern Africa and names it the "Cao da Boa Esperanca", the Cape of Good Hope.
Dias discovers the Cape
1652
Dutch East Indies Company sets up a ship "refreshment" station in what would become Cape Town.
One stop ship shop
1655
The Cape's first governor, Jan Van Riebeeck, plants first vines.
The Cape’s 1st vines
1682
Cape Governor Simon Van Der Stel cedes the land on which Glenelly stands in the Ida's valley to a French Huguenot, Francois Villion.
Power of Territory
1685
Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in France growing the ranks of the Huguenots population around Cape Town (picture called “Revocation of the Edict of Nantes”)
Edict of Nantes
1738
May’s ancestor, Elie Miailhe, is granted the title of ‘royal wine broker’.
Royal Wine Broker
1806
Cape-area under British administration.
Under Colonialism
1855
May's great grandfather, John Benjamin Butler, stops at Cape Town en route from the Philippines to London for family business.
Butler on a Business trip
1911
Glenelly is purchased by Jack Garlick, the son of the department store founder John Garlick, and is run as a fruit farm for over 90 years.
Garlick on a Fruit Farm
1925
May is born in Bordeaux and raised in the middle of the family estates: chateaux Pichon Lalande, Palmer, Siran and Ducru-Beaucaillou.
Born in Bordeaux
1939
During World War Two (1939-1945), May lived under German occupation and her stories are told in the book “Wine and War” by Donald & Petie Kladstrup.
Wine & War
1947
May marries Hervé de Lencquesaing, a French cavalry officer. They will have 4 children together.
A French Affair
1978
May de Lencquesaing inherits Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, Grand Cru Classé in 1855.
A Grand Inheritance
2003
After many years of searching for the ideal site to create a vineyard, May purchases Glenelly Estate, on the lower slopes of the Simonsberg.
In Search of Vines
2004
60 hectares are planted, overseen by Pichon Lalande’s team and viticulturist Heinrich Louw.
Hectares of Heritage
2007
Luke O'Cuinneagain joins the Glenelly team.
Teamwork
2008
The first vintages of Glenelly Estate.
Vines to Vintages
2009
Completion of the winery by inauguration of the 6,000 m² environmentally friendly winery, anchored in the mountains on 4 floors functioning by gravity flow.
A World Class Winery
2010
May de Lencquesaing’s grandson Nicolas Bureau joins as Export Manager - the 8th generation of vintners and wine producers.
8 Generations of tradition
2011
May de Lencquesaing promoted by the French government, from "Chevalier" to “Officer” in the Order of the Legion of Honour.
Officer of Honour
2013
Premium Independent Wineries of South Africa (PIWOSA) is created, of which Glenelly Estate is a founding member.
Trailblazing new traditions
2015
Arthur de Lencquesaing joins as Marketing Manager, launching both projects of renovation of the winery and rebranding.
A New Chapter
2015
May de Lencquesaing celebrates her 90th birthday and ads some new contemporary pieces to the Glass Collection.
Celebrating 90
2016
May de Lencquesaing honoured as an Officier de l'Ordre du Mérite Agricole by French Ministery of Agriculture for her achievements at Chateau Pichon Lalande and Glenelly.
Honours & Achievements
2016
The new logos and labels are launched.
Launching a new look
2017
