in the vineyard : Seven leading vineyard owners in the Durbanville Hills district joined together to create Durbanville Hills together with Distell to promote the regional individuality of this prime wine growing area, characterised by hills. Just 10 kms from the cold Atlantic Ocean, it boasts a temperate climate with Atlantic sea breezes cooling the vines during the summer months. Grapes for this brand, which has already attracted widespread positive attention both in South Africa and abroad, are sourced only from these growers, all of whom fall under the limited appellation of Durbanville. All member vineyards subscribe to IPW (Integrated Production of Wine) growing practices, designed to sustain natural resources. Meticulous crop control applied to these vineyards further limits yields and promotes concentration of varietal flavour, encouraging a process of natural selection.
The vineyards
The grapes were sourced from a variety of low-yield vineyards, situated 250 m above sea-level, established between 1985 and 1990 and planted in deep, dark red soils. The yield averaged out at six to nine tons per hectare. All the vines were grafted on Phylloxera resistant rootstocks and trellised on different trellising systems. Pest and disease control was implemented according to South African IPW standards.