TOKARA winery is situated on the crest of the Helshoogte Pass, about 5km from the historic winemaking town of Stellenbosch. Apart from award winning architecture, the estate offers magnificent vistas of the Simonsberg Mountains, False Bay, Table Mountain and the lush Idas Valley.
History of TOKARA
The winery building's industrial nature is softened by uncomplicated architecture and design. A composition of simple, natural materials and clean, strong lines characterize the structure, offering clarity of form within a breathtaking environment.
The wine production and marketing facility was designed to reflect the character of the wines themselves - innovative and distinctive. Spaces interact efficiently, with practicality being a core element. T
he winery's operational layout incorporates cutting-edge technologies and computerized control systems to ensure all TOKARA wines meet the necessary standards of excellence.
Wine production team
- Winemaker: Miles Mossop
- Production Director: Gyles Webb
- Assistant Winemaker: Dumisani Mathonsi
When describing their wine, TOKARA's winemakers use words such as intensity, complexity and balance. They also emphasize the point that the wine shows a strong sense of place, reflecting the elegance and commitment to the excellence of its estate.
TOKARA's wines are distinctive and sophisticated. They will age well and should gain in character when set down for a few years. Contributing to this quality is the estate's dedication to cutting edge technologies.
"The Object Of The Exercise Is To See How High We Can Raise The Crossbar." - GT Ferreira, Owner
Viticulture
Viticulture at TOKARA is considered a long-term investment.
The estate devotes significant capital into ensuring the most cutting edge technologies are available for vineyard analysis and wine production. TOKARA is the first cellar to make commercial use of the NDVI process, which captures both visible and infrared light emitted from vineyards to create a colour index describing variances between cultivated sections.
Apart from technology, superior wines require superior raw materials. TOKARA has a highly skilled and tirelessly dedicated labour force, working on some of the most exceptional terroirs in the country. The soil types at TOKARA belong to the Oakleaf and Tukulu families and are classified as high potential, inducing relatively high vigour.
All viticulture procedures at TOKARA strive to create a balance between the vegetative and reproductive qualities of the vine, which is beneficial to both the environment and the quality of the estate's final product.
Three prime farming locations, each situated in some of the Western Cape's best cool-climate viticulture districts, supply the TOKARA winery. The first of these is a 60 hectare combination of properties in and around the TOKARA winery situated 5km from the historical town of Stellenbosch.
This "home vineyard" area on the southern slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain harvests exceptional examples of various grape varieties and produces the bulk of the wine that fills TOKARA's 950 ton cellar.
The "Highlands" farm in Elgin and the "Siberia" property in the Hemel-and-Aarde Valley near Hermanus are TOKARA's two other sources of white fruit. Both provide equally outstanding conditions for vineyard growth and add fascinating variety to the TOKARA collection.
All of the TOKARA vineyards incorporate the same cutting-edge farming technologies, embracing the practices of precision viticulture. Together, they produce an impressive range of grapes for one of the most exciting new properties in the country.
Vineyards Team
- Viticulturist: Aidan Morton
- Stellenbosch Vineyard Manager: Gerald Fortuin
- Overberg Vineyard Manager: Derek Duckitt
- Farming Operations: Eddé Smit
TOKARA Wines
The TOKARA Premium wines are made from top quality grapes exclusively from our own vineyards. As a result a specific sense of place finds expression in the complexity and richness of the TOKARA wines. Balance, texture, elegance and the ability to age are distinctive traits of the TOKARA Premium range of wines.
The TOKARA ZONDERNAAM range of wines is made from single classic grape varieties, in elegant style with good fruit expression and balance. ZONDERNAAM wines are made to please the palate and complement good food.
TOKARA Winery has released its third five-year-old Potstill Brandy made from Chenin Blanc grapes sourced from neighbouring vineyards.
Our TOKARA Five year old Potstill Brandy, produced in our copper Potstill, is a first for our winemaker Miles Mossop who worked in close conjunction with brandy consultant Buks Venter, who previously headed brandy distillation and maturation at KWV.
"When you are in the fickle business of distilling the essence of the grape and then maturing it for a length of time, you really need to be a visionary to predict what the discerning taste will be like in five years time.
"In a sense TOKARA five year old brandy is a guided synthesis in which all the variables of soil, climate, man and machine, time and change have been orchestrated to give a sublime and delicate fruitiness complemented by richness spices and fine oak, all against a backdrop of the palest gold," Venter said.
TOKARA Wines | Olive Oil