Whilst on holiday on the Garden Route I mentioned I wished to travel to Jakkalsvlei but found the drive too remote a local then mentioned a wine estate just outside George on route to Victoria Bay (Vic Bay to most) To my welcomed surprise Donegal Wine Estate was a very short drive outside of George. On our arrival roadworks were underway for what felt like an upgrade of the now dirt road to something more formal at the entrance to Donegal.
Donegal Wine Estate
Dongel Wine Estate is a 1,5ha smallholding in which the family acquired in 2002 and then constructed a raw face brick homestead amongst glorious tress.
Arriving at the Tasting room its clear to see that works are still underway and that the concept is ever evolving and under construction. The winery is closer to being underground than on “ground level” with various floor heights as one ventures to the al fresco Eucalyptus lined tasting space come dining area and viewing deck.
Loosely termed, dining area, for the mere sense that there is no restaurant and for weddings catering can be brought in. The Donegal tasting room serves an offering of cheese and meat platters as well as The Donegal Hamburger should you feel like a bite whilst tasting or simply enjoy a glass of their wines with the view.
Donegal Wine Estate is owned Carl Ahlström and Dr Ansua Steyn. Ahlström a structural engineer who has worked abroad for a number of years and his wife Dr Ansua Steyn who is an aesthetics doctor both locally, practising outside of Knysna and previously from the properties name sake Irish town Donegal (pronounced do-nuh-gawl,). The town of Donegal is also the place where Carl proposed to Anusa.
Wine Tasting
On our visit we were welcomed by Anele Ndzeku who handles Donegal’s marketing, was our tasting ambassador and pianist using the on-site baby grand piano.
The tasting costs R90 per person which includes four wines. A wooded Chardonnay, a Grenache, The Vic Bay a Bordeaux styled blend of red varieties, , and a Shiraz. The latter wine, from the 2017 vintage, was a Gold-medal winner at the Veritas Wine Awards in 2018. The total bottle production sees about 25 000 bottles across the full range.
Whilst the wines were interesting more intriguing to me was how a wine estate came to be in Vic Bay, an area not synonymous with viticulture. The weather and terroir not optimal for the grape varietals being served nor any for that matter, in my understanding.
Needless to say I was not surprised when we were informed that the wines were produced off site at Plasir de Merle an estate in Simondium on the outskirts of Franschhoek. Grapes being sourced from the Paardeberg region of the Swartland and others from an estate at the foot of the Simonsberg Mountain, between Paarl and Franschhoek . Where then grapes are produced into wines under the watchful eye of Carl and Ansua.
Wine Production
Consulting wine production and winemakers is a fairly common practise especially when it comes to smaller producers and garagiste styled wineries and wine brands. However I couldn’t shake the thought, “how can a home with a tasting room with no grapes/vines grown on-site be marketed and dubbed a wine estate”
To me, when one is being marketed a tasting room on a wine estate is it too much to expect to see wine grape producing vines, perhaps even in their infancy? More-so that said grapes even partially be used in the production of wines served in the tasting room alongside those which are sourced? There’s a newly constructed 7m underground on-site barrel ageing cellar which makes a glorious venue for intimate wedding ceremonies, events and private tastings yet the 40 odd barrels are empty and wines whole produced else where.
“What stops every bar and public house simply re-branding as wine estate simply because they offer tastings on a beautiful plot?” – I pondered over the tasting portion of Donegal The Vic Bay.
“In South Africa, to use the term ‘estate,’ all of the grapes must come from vineyards within a single geographical unit… and the wine must also be produced and bottled in the producer’s winery within that unit,”
says Vicky Burt MW, head of product development for wine qualifications at the Wine & Spirit Education Trust.
The above applies to what is displayed on the label and an application to SAWIS and various certifications is usually completed by farms who sell and market their product. These seals can be seen on the neck of most bottles of wine. As for what can be on your signage and marketing collateral, I have yet to confirm.
Whilst we thoroughly enjoyed the tasting and experience, the setting of the homestead is picturesque and the new wine tasting offering and outing a welcomed one for the area. I felt the branding and marketing of Donegal to be a Wine Estate lacked transparency and authenticity.
Should you wish to try some wines with friends or family and are travelling through the Garden Route or staying nearby. I would recommend the activity, especially when fully conceptualised. However if you’re an avid wine drinker with a purist mentality and approach to viticulture, this is not the “wine estate” for you.
Donegal Wine Estate is open Monday to Friday, 9:00 to 17:00, and weekends, 12:00 to 17:00.
For further information and bookings for large groups, call 083 448 8869 or 083 388 1345, email carl@donegal.co.za or visit www.donegal.co.za.
