Kelders van Geheime (Cellars of Secrets) is a South African, Afrikaans-language telenovela based on the wheelings and dealings of the community that lives on Soebatskloof (a wine farm in the Cape).
The series focuses on three families: the Abrahams, Syster and Marais households.
These families will have to stand together, agree (or agree to disagree), and work together to earn their bread and butter – and a glass of wine.
The Abrahams Family
Edmund Abrahams (Duane Williams) is the wine maker on Soebatskloof, and Nenna Abrahams (Vinette Ebrahim) is the retired housekeeper and hospitality manager whom Edmund calls 'mother'.
The Syster Household
Joey Syster (Cedwyn Joel) is the patriarch of the Syster family, and has lived and worked on Soebatskloof his entire life.
Sandy (Riana Alfreds) is Joey's daughter, and has taken over Nenna's responsibilities.
Sandy's eldest daughter Debbie-Lee (Veronique Jephtas) works with her, while her youngest, Shireen (Vashti Prins) is establishing herself as a general practitioner in the Winelands.
Phillip Smith (Dean Balie) is the man in Debbie-Lee's life.
The Marais Dynasty
The Marais family has lived on Soebatskloof for decades.
Charl Marais Senior (Nic de Jager) is the owner of the wine farm, while his second wife Hermien Marais (Sandra Prinsloo) keeps herself busy as a sculptor.
Tjoppie Marais (Geon Nel) Is Hermien's son from her first marriage, who grew up with Charl Senior's children from his first marriage.
Charl Marais Junior (David Chevers) lives in London, and Annette Fourie (Angela de Lange) lives in Australia with her rugby player husband Du Toit Fourie (Zak Hendrikz).
Lynn Fourie (Illse Roos) is Du Toit's "Social Butterfly of the Winelands" mommy.
Veronique (Rushney Ferguson), Tjoppie's wife, is the manager of the restaurant on the farm.
CJ (Angelo Johnson), the couple's eldest child, is a matriculant at Simonsvallei Gymnasium, where Marco (Angelo Bergh), the couple's youngest, is now in Grade 11.
The Help
One doesn't have to look to the mountains for help in this neck of the woods.
Rijk Nel (Marcel van Heerden) is the Marais family's accountant, while Dewald Piedt (Abduragman Adams) is their trusty lawyer.
Mercy (Tyral-Lee Miggels), Gabby (Karli Heine), Jason (Ben Albertyn) and Armand (Robert Hindley) are the waiters that keep clients happy.
Stil Piet (Jurgen McEwan), Bismarck (Lorenzo Syster), Napoleon (Ivan Abrahams) and Nicodemus (Jason van Wyk) are some of the workers on the industrious farm.
Kelders van Geheime is based on a concept by Saartjie Botha and Theltom Masimila and is produced by KFilms.
The executive producer is Karen Meiring and the directors are Heleni Handt, Darryl Fuchs and Maurice Paige.
The head writer is Theltom Masimila with a writing team including Wilmien Rossouw, Martina Theunissen, Henrietta Gryffenberg, Marlise Erwee, Ricardo Arendse, Maritha Broschk, Dean Richard Olivier and Saartjie Botha.
Original music and the theme tune are by Loki Rothman.
The series is filmed in and around Franschhoek.