PARTNERSHIP VINEYARDS is the name adopted for the Riebeek Valley Empowerment project in South Africa. PARTNERSHIP VINEYARDS is not a charity but an empowerment scheme which has the support of the South African Government. It is hoped that it will eventually become an independent/self-sustaining business, run by the local Cape farmworkers themselves. Most importantly, if successful, it will become the model for other, similar schemes in South Africa .

Partnership Vineyards is situated near Abbotsdale, close to Malmesbury in the Swartland wine region of South Africa. This is about 40 miles (64 kilometres) north of Cape Town .

The initial site has been purchased. It covers 83 hectares (207 acres) of which some 63 hectares (158 acres) is suitable for grape growing. The first 13.7 hectares (34 acres) were planted with Sauvignon Blanc in September 2004. 15 hectares (37 acres) will be planted with Cabernet Sauvignon in 2005. Later plantings will include Chenin Blanc, Cabernet Franc and more Sauvignon Blanc. The excellent situation allows the land to be dry farmed, thus removing the substantial cost of pipe irrigation.

Riebeek Cellars is committed to passing on its winemaking expertise and know-how to the 150 selected farmworkers, as well as giving them the use of its modern winemaking equipment and cellaring facilities.

Considerable care has been taken to create imaginative label designs which clearly indicate the PARTNERSHIP theme. To enable the project to develop early cash flow Riebeek Cellars has generously proposed a release of part of its own wine to PARTNERSHIP VINEYARDS, with all the profits going to the project. It is intended to launch the first PARTNERSHIP wine at the London International Wine Trade Fair in May 2005 with the introduction of a white Chenin-Chardonnay and a red Cabernet-Merlot. As the project develops so enquiries will be made concerning Fairtrade status.

It will take 4 years for the site to provide suitable grapes for its own wine production but in the meantime cash flow will be enhanced by the sale of its young grapes to other wineries for blending purposes.