Cellar door review: Dornier
The last time I visited Dornier, they were digging up the entrance road so we entered the winery from behind. This new entry brings you in at the top of the farm – and the view of the winery building is one of the most breathtaking in Stellenbosch, echoing the curves of the mountains (a shape which is repeated on the wine bottle labels).
Just up from the winery lies the converted barn containing the tasting room and Bodega Restaurant. The stoep was a hive of industry with staff laying tables, putting out chalkboards and setting up an additional seating area round the corner – clearly Bodega is thriving.
Inside is a mix of woods with brightlycoloured soft furnishings – lime green, fuschia pink and turquoise. There are craft items for sale, hand-labelled jars of olives, model aeroplanes and plenty of references to Dornier’s Swiss owners. Above the tasting counter are lampshades made from bronzed half wine bottles – you can also taste wine at wooden tables and beyond them, on the couches facing the fireplace.
We sat on the funky ‘cotton reel’ bar stools at the counter and the smiling assistant greeted us immediately, proffering price lists, a carafe of water and a spittoon – clearly used to tourists, she picked up on my English accent and automatically included the European order form as well. The tasting was R30 for five wines with all three ranges available to try.
I started with the new vintage of the entry-level Cocoa Hill Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (R60) – a zesty, clean, fresh little number – while the assistant pointed out the hills opposite and told me about Pirate Long Ben who thought the soils were so fine, they were like cocoa (hence the name). She then recommended the Cocoa Hill Rosé 2010 (R45) – a lovely mouthful of strawberries with vibrant acidity and good fruit concentration.
Dornier is keen to be known for its Chenins, so I tasted the Dornier Chenin 2010 (R75) made from Swartland grapes, before moving onto the flagship Donatus White 2009 (R120), a Chenin blend with 23% Semillon. Although the assistant assured me the oak on the straight Chenin was minimal, I found the wine quite spicy with hints of pear drops – lots of promise, but it will be much better in a few months’ time. The Donatus was superb with a toasty entry giving way to green-tinged, ripe fruit and a creamy finish. Idly flicking through the restaurant menu as I tasted, I was pleased to see that all dishes had wine matches, all the Dornier wines were available by the glass and the mark-up on cellar door prices was a flat R30 – hooray!
The reds are a mixed bunch vintagewise, with the Cabernet and Merlot both 2005 (R90 and R86 respectively) and, since the flagship Donatus is 2007 (R220) and the Cocoa Hill Red 2008 (R60), I wondered if they are phasing out the single varietals? If so, they’d better keep the Pinotage (R90) – the 2008 was cracking, full of elegant, soft, juicy, black fruit so if you’re reading this, Raphael, please take note!
By this time I’d tasted at least six wines, but there was no pressure to buy – although I was told there would be no tasting fee if I stayed for lunch or bought even one bottle to take away. We left feeling that we’d had a really good experience – professional, friendly, relaxed with wellmade wines at fair prices. A confi dent performance all round.
VERDICT
LIKES
Friendly, knowledgeable staff who paid attention to what we said and reacted accordingly – much less common than you would think.
DISLIKES
Very little, although having to walk through restaurant tables to get to the tasting room makes you feel as if you are intruding somewhat.
WHAT ELSE IS THERE?
The chocolate and wine tasting at Waterford and, if you visit on a Friday or Saturday, De Trafford is open and has a display of artwork by owner Rita Trafford.
DORNIER is situated south of Stellenbosch, just off Blaawklippen. Open Monday to Sunday 10:00 to 17:00.
Tel: 021 880 0557
www.dornier.co.za
