Stellenbosch Magazine July 2021

you don’t really have that heritage. Of course,
in France you have Chateaux. In South Africa
however, the wineries cater for all people. In
France the experience was entirely different,
which can be expected, as the wine landscape
differs from that of South Africa. The
people of South Africa also have a certain
warmth to them that remains unmatched.”
In August 2018, Daniel decided on a parttime
relocation to South Africa, to enable his
full-time, hands-on involvement in the running
of the Stellenbosch estate. He explains: “De
Toren is an award-winning brand with a stellar
Bordeaux-style portfolio that has captivated
palates around the globe. Upholding these
high standards is a task I take to heart. As
a team, we are committed to continuing the
legacy of De Toren, expanding the vision and
taking the story even further.”
De Toren specialises in luxurious, worldclass
Bordeaux-style wines. It was one of the first
ever South African wineries to produce Bordeaux-style
wines and the very first to ever
make use of a gravity-fed cellar. The estate
is renowned for meticulous attention to detail
when it comes to nurturing its vineyards to
grow the perfect berries, and for making wine
through the softest and gentlest of processes.
The result of this labour of love is a range
of spectacular wines, which have, over the
years, been awarded the honorary titles of
South Africa’s Best Bordeaux Blend, South
Afria’s Most Luxurious Wine, and The Highest
Ever Rated SA Wines by the reputable USA
publisher, Wine Enthusiast Magazine, to name
but a few.
Daniel’s involvement was motivated not only
by the good investment opportunity and De
Toren’s reputation for excellence, but also his
own unmitigated love of fine wine. He brings
an intimate understanding of why the brand
would appeal to the Swiss, and other international
markets.
When asked which his favourite De Toren
wine is, and why, he says: “Oh that’s an
easy one! Well, everybody would probably expect
me to say the limited-edition Book XVII,
but it’s not! The answer is easy for me,
due to my love for Merlot. Because I’m from
Switzerland, I spend quite a bit of time up in
the mountains in my cabin and Merlot is a
warm varietal. It’s a grape for snowy, cold
winter days in front of a fire. Although I can
honestly say that I absolutely love every single
wine from De Toren’s range, the De Toren Z
was my first love so to speak!”
image: sourced on facebook
In recent years, De Toren has been ranked
as one of the Top 10 Red Wine Producers
in South Africa by the South African Wine
Index and was once again nominated as New
World Winery of the Year by the reputable
USA publisher, Wine Enthusiast Magazine.
These international accolades confirm De Toren
as not only South Africa’s most highly
rated Bordeaux-style wines, but indeed
amongst the world’s finest red wines.
Daniel’s involvement with De Toren is testament
to that glorious alchemy that occurs
when a sound financial investment combines
with a personal passion and the ongoing
pursuit of global excellence.
| Stellenbosch Magazine | July Issue
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