De Toren - famous for globally sought-after red wines
"The truth is in the Vine" - this phrase is written on the walls of De Toren's Tasting Room and aptly summarises the philosophy that has made the boutique winery in Stellenbosch one of South Africa's most respected premium winegrowers in over thirty years. De Toren owes its name to the tower that rises into the sky from the roof of the wine cellar. It houses the gravity-operated hoist, which enables the gentle transport of the wines. The focus of the winery is on red wines, which are sought after worldwide. It all began with the panoramic view from the Helderberg over False Bay to Table Mountain. Emil den Dulk and his wife found this view so marvellous that they bought the estate in 1991 to make a fresh start.
De Toren's vineyards are perfect for red grape varieties
Their passion for wine was soon awakened, they recognised the untapped potential of the unique location on the Polkadraai Hills and bought more vineyards. This laid the foundation for the couple's innovative approach of reinterpreting the "Left Bank"/"Right Bank" concept, which is also pursued in Bordeaux, France. Although parts of the estate were originally planted with Chardonnay grapes, the team knew that the area was ideal for red grape varieties. Thanks to extensive soil analyses, each vineyard was designed to produce world-class wines. De Toren first made a name for itself in 1999 with the Fusion V, creating a harmonious cuvée from the five classic red grape varieties.
De Toren is one of South Africa's top wine producers
Five years later came the blend called Z, a tribute to Zephyrus, the Greek god of wind. The grapes come from vineyards that face the sea and are cooled by the breezes that blow across. The Book XVII and The Black Lion wines raise the bar even higher. They are produced in a separate cellar at De Toren and are among South Africa's ultra-premium wines. Visitors to the wine estate in Stellenbosch can savour the complex and expressive wines from De Toren in the luxurious tasting lounge - and enjoy the magnificent view from the terrace. During an exclusive guided tour, you can also take a look behind the scenes of the winery and visit both the vineyards and the wine cellar. This is followed by a tasting of De Torens' world-class wines.