De Toren

On the southern slopes of the Polkadry Hills in Stellenbosch, De Toren Private Cellar has quietly established one of South Africa’s most specialised wine estates. Here, they produce exclusively Bordeaux-style red blends; it was the country’s first winery to operate on a gravity-fed system, and the level of soil and vineyard analysis here is so high that most producers wouldn’t even bother with it.

History

Emile and Sonette den Dulk founded De Toren in the early 1990s after leaving Johannesburg in search of something new. Instead of planting whatever was easiest, Emil began with extensive research, collaborating with scientists from Stellenbosch University on soil analysis that involved digging twelve sampling pits per hectare, three times the industry standard. Fifteen different soil types were identified across the 25-hectare site. Managing partner Albie Koch, a native of Stellenbosch who joined the project from the outset, helped translate this scientific data into the wines.

In 2020, the winery received official organic certification. De Toren was subsequently acquired by the Swiss holding company De Toren Holding AG, with Koch remaining as managing partner.

Vineyards and terroir

The 25 hectares of vineyards, situated on the hillsides, lie at an average altitude of 200 metres on the Polkadraai Hills, offering views of Table Mountain and False Bay.

The granite soils here are over 500 million years old and are among the oldest in the world. Fifteen different soil types have been identified on the estate, ranging from weathered granite and sandstone to clay and loam with a high gravel content. The higher, sandy granite soils are favourable for Cabernet Sauvignon; the lower, clay-dominated plots are suited to Merlot.

Afternoon Zephyr breezes from the ocean extend the ripening period in some plots by up to two weeks. Cool sea air from Falls Bay moderates the summer heat across the entire estate.

Grapes

The entire vineyard is planted with five classic Bordeaux varieties: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Petit Verdot. A total of 25 different clones of these five varieties were selected, each matched to specific soil types across the estate, and each combined with one of ten rootstocks chosen for their suitability to the particular plot.

Winemaking

De Toren became the first winery in South Africa to use a gravity-fed system. The white tower rising above the winery building is not merely a decorative feature: it houses a gravity-fed wine transport system that moves the juice and wine solely by the force of gravity, without the use of pumps.

The grapes are harvested by hand by a team of women in the cool morning hours, with a strict time limit of two to three hours per harvest. After several stages of manual sorting, fermentation takes place in specially designed small, wide tanks that ensure maximum contact with the skins. Each vineyard plot is fermented and aged separately.

The wines are aged in French oak barrels, a mix of first-, second- and third-fill barrels, for twelve months. During this time, each batch is tasted monthly, and sample blends are sent to international tastings to gather feedback before final blending.

Wines

The range comprises five wines.

Fusion V, first released in the 1999 vintage, is a Left Bank-style blend dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon from all five Bordeaux varieties and is the estate’s flagship wine.

De Toren Z, added in 2004, is a Right Bank-style blend dominated by Merlot, named after the Zephyr wind that blows through the cooler western plots.

Book XVII is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Malbec, produced in limited quantities (just six barrels a year), named after Pliny the Elder’s treatise on viticulture, written in the 1st century.

The Black Lion is a pure Shiraz.

Délicate is a non-vintage blend dominated by Malbec, intended for early drinking.