History of Glenelly
a rich heritage
Glenelly Estate owes its success to the rich history of the estate, dating back to 1682 when Simon van der Stel ceded the land to a French Huguenot, Francois Villion. This, combined with May de Lencquesaing’s family legacy of centuries in the wine industry, has made Glenelly a wine estate of note.
A NEW BEGINNING
In 2003, at the age of 78, May de Lencquesaing, then owner of the famous Château Pichon Longueville Comtesse de Lalande, a Grand Cru Classé from Pauillac, Bordeaux, purchased the estate, part of the original Ida’s Valley farm, granted in 1682 by Simon van der Stel. With a nod to the French Huguenot settlers 300 years before, she set about planting vines to replace the existing fruit trees, realising her vision of establishing a thriving winery that best utilises the soils and microclimate of the valley and supports local economic development and the community. Thus, Glenelly Estate was reborn.
The 1783 Stamp
The stamp on our wine label signifies nearly 250 years of the family’s involvement in the wine industry which continues into the 21st century at Glenelly Estate. Their ancestor, Elie Miailhe, was granted the title of ‘royal wine broker’ in 1783. May de Lencquesaing (neé Miailhe), continues this tradition together with her grandchildren, Nicolas Bureau and Maxime Bureau.
