Dornier Wines

Dornier Wines is located on two wine estates, both with a lot of history and traditions. The history of Keerweder goes back to 1694, when it was acquired by Jac van Dyk.

Stellenrust farm includes an historic Sir Herbert Baker homestead and one of the first wine cellars in the area. The Stellenrust farm is now the home to the loft-style 500-ton Dornier winery that was completed in 2003.

There are currently 70 hectares under vine. The varieties are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Chenin Blanc. These seven varieties are the building blocks of our three blends. Each variety is grown with the end result in mind, and then each parcel is individually vinified to express its unique character. Thereafter, these building blocks are creatively blended into one of our three wines; the compositions of each always open to artistic change.

Dornier is situated on ancient deep, decomposed red and yellow granite, Tukulu (yellow) and Oakleaf (red) soils. While varying in clay content, they all have good moisture retention and keep the vine roots cool. These complex soils are vital in giving our wines their unique character, as is the range in altitude of the vineyards - from 100 and 200 metres above sea level. A multitude of aspects add to vineyard diversity and the high mountain peaks trap the cool Atlantic breezes to slow the ripening and create intense flavours.