Fairview is a family owned wine and cheese business located in Paarl, 40 miles from, and within sight of, the natural glory that is Table Mountain. Charles Back, the owner of Fairview, is the third genera­tion of Backs to head the family business since it was purchased in 1937 by his grandfather who had immigrated to South Africa from Lithuania in the early part of this century. He started a small business in Paarl, which was a success. He then decided to start farming during the First World War, buying the farm Kleinbabylonstroen, which eventually became Backsberg wine estate, and is now owned by Charles’ cousin, Michael.

Fairview had already been in the grape business for many years before the Backs bought the farm. The first European settlers on Fairview received their title deeds in 1693 from Simon Van der Stel, the second Dutch governor of the Cape of Good Hope. Fairview quietly prospered through the years as a mixed farm. Details of the his­tory of the farm are sketchy, though there is record of a local doctor prescribing tea­spoons of Fairview fortified wine to help cure ailing children in the latter part of the 19th century. Fairview was put on solid foundations by Charles Back, the grandfather of the pres­ent owner. When he passed away, his son inherited the farms. Cyril Back guided Fairview to prosperity through hard work and careful management.