Len Maseko
For nearly a century, the Du Bois family has quietly built a reputation as one of Stellenbosch’s respected grape-growing families, supplying premium fruit to some of South Africa’s leading wine producers.
Today, however, they are no longer content to remain behind the scenes.
With the release of the Du Bois Vineyards Sonop Chenin Blanc 2025, the family is cementing its place among the Cape’s emerging estate wine producers, turning decades of viticultural expertise into a label that bears its own name. The new release follows the remarkable success of the maiden 2024 vintage, which sold out within four months.
The family’s story stretches back to 1931 when Nicolaas du Bois purchased the Sonop farm after working as a viticulturist at Uitkyk. Rather than naming the property after the fierce winds that sweep the hills, he chose “Sonop”, inspired by the way the morning light settles across its slopes. That decision marked the beginning of four generations of grape growing on one of Stellenbosch’s prized sites.
Today, Gabriël (Gawie) du Bois Snr and his sons, Gabriël Jnr and Jacques, have transformed that legacy into a boutique wine brand.
For years our grapes became part of other people’s stories. Now we’re finally telling our own…
For Gabriël Jnr, who honed his craft under acclaimed winemaker Chris Alheit, producing wine from the family’s own vineyards represents the fulfilment of a generations-old dream.
“For years we watched our grapes become part of other people’s stories,” he says. “Coming home to make wine from our own land feels like finishing a story that began generations ago.”
“Seeing our fruit in such fine wine is an honour, but coming home to make wine from our own land feels like finishing a story that began generations ago.”
The response to the Du Bois Vineyard label was unprecedented. Their 2024 maiden vintage sold out within four months of launching in November of last year.
“It’s wonderful that people bought our wine and that the wine sold out,” says Gawie Snr. “Now we’ve increased our volume. I’m excited for our second vintage. For me, 2025 is superior.”
The Sonop Chenin Blanc 2025 is produced from heritage bush vines planted in 1982 and 1986 on the north-eastern slopes of Sonop Hill above Koelenhof. Rooted in red and blue shale soils over fractured clay, the vineyards benefited from what the family describes as one of the Cape’s finest growing seasons in years.
Cool temperatures, generous winter and spring rainfall, light winds and minimal disease pressure produced fruit with exceptional freshness, concentration and natural balance. The grapes were hand-picked, whole-bunch pressed and naturally fermented in seasoned 500-litre barrels before spending 11 months on the lees, allowing texture and complexity to develop without unnecessary intervention.
In the glass, the wine opens with aromas of white flowers, peach and subtle spice before revealing layers of white pear, green apple, grapefruit and citrus freshness. Ginger, cloves and a distinctive mineral character add complexity, while vibrant acidity and the textured mouthfeel of old-vine Chenin Blanc promise excellent ageing potential.
Only 5,500 bottles have been produced, making the release as exclusive as it is personal. For the du Bois family, the wine represents far more than another vintage.
“It’s an honour and a privilege to share a dream with my father and brother,” says Jacques. “We certainly jumped in the deep end last year. We have a big responsibility, but I’m excited for what’s ahead. I think Gabriel did a fantastic job in the cellar. I think we’re releasing at a time when the wine is ready to show its full potential. I hope people know the wine is only going to get better.”
By taking the decision to shift from being a mere supplier of grapes to other farmers to crafting their own wines, the Du Bois family demonstrated more than entrepreneurial spirit, ingenuity and far-sightedness but also a rare courage and self-belief to take a plunge into an industry renowned to be less friendly to the faint-hearted.
It’s a story that has turned full circle for the family, proving that sometimes it is not enough to be a mere player on the field, but rising to the challenge of seizing the reins to control the game – to one’s advantage – makes the journey more fulfilling and rewarding.
It is the culmination of four generations of nurturing the same vineyards — and the beginning of a new legacy in which the family’s name appears not only on the vineyard records, but proudly on the bottle.
This article first appeared in the Weekly Mirror
