Tokara
is located on Helshoogte Pass on the upper slopes of Simonsberg and at the entrance to the Banghoek Valley. The high-altitude vineyards offer sweeping views over Stellenbosch, False Bay and as far as Table Mountain. The family-run estate combines winegrowing and olive cultivation with modern architecture, South African art and gastronomy closely tailored to the estate's wines.
The estate has been owned by the Ferreira family since 1994. GT and Anne-Marie Ferreira developed Tokara with the aim of using the estate's different sites specifically for high-quality wines. The name combines the first names of their children, Thomas and Kara. The first Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted in 1996 and laid the foundation for the estate's present direction.
The Stellenbosch vineyards lie at around 350 to 550 metres above sea level on the side of the Banghoek Valley. Weathered sandstone, deep decomposed granite and different slope aspects create distinctly different parcels within the estate. The elevation and cooling air currents from False Bay extend the ripening period and support a combination of ripe fruit, natural acidity and clear structure.
Another vineyard site lies south-east of Stellenbosch in Elgin. The cooler climate on the Sir Lowry's Pass plateau and soils derived from Table Mountain sandstone provide particularly suitable conditions for Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and the base wines for selected Cap Classique bottlings. This allows Tokara to combine warm, structured Stellenbosch sites with distinctly cooler vineyards.
In the cellar, the hand-picked grapes are first sorted and then moved through the different processing levels by gravity. Depending on the grape variety, vineyard and wine, stainless-steel tanks, large wooden vessels and French oak barrels are used. Individual red-wine lots ferment spontaneously and are matured separately before winemaker Stuart Botha assembles the final wines.
Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc form the core of the range. The Premium Collection combines grapes from several suitable sites, while the Reserve Collection places greater emphasis on individual vineyards. Particularly expressive parcels are selected for the Directors Reserve. This range includes a Cabernet Sauvignon-based Bordeaux blend and a white blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
The range is complemented by Chardonnay, Syrah, small Pinotage bottlings, Cap Classique, sweet wine and the Cabernet Sauvignon Telos. The different ranges include both approachable, fruit-driven wines and structured bottlings with longer ageing potential. At Vin Africa, Tokara offers a varied selection in which the high-altitude sites of the Simonsberg and the cool vineyards of Elgin each find their own expression.