Dornier Wines is situated on the foot of the Stellenbosch Mountains amidst the Stellenbosch wine lands in South Africa. The red wines are mostly based on Cabernet Sauvignon and the whites on Chenin blanc. The wine estate is named after the German artist Christoph Dornier; he was the youngest son of aircraft designer Claude Dornier.
Contents
History
In 1995 Dornier started the estate by purchasing their first of five farms. Today nearly 180 hectares belong to the wine estate. In the following years the former fruit and cattle farms were converted into vineyards. Dornier was one of the first international investors who saw the potential of the South African wine production. He was also one of the founders of the De Zalze Golf Estate, one of the most successful real estate development projects in the region.
Since 2006 Dornier has been a member of the Biodiversity and Wine Initiative which contributes to the sustainable cultivation of the vineyards and the protection of the local fynbos. In 2007 Dornier opened their Bodega Restaurant in one of the oldest buildings of Stellenbosch.
The founder died in 2008 at the age of 69 in Lucerne, Switzerland. His legacy has been secured by a foundation.
Awards
Wines produced from this winery has received some awards from International Wine and Spirit Competition and Decanter World Wide Awards.