Dunstone Estate

Dunstone Estate takes its name from a village in the United Kingdom where British expats Lee and Abbi Wallis got engaged. When the couple emigrated to South Africa and purchased land on Wellington's Bovlei Road at the foothills of the Hawequa and Limiet Mountains, they brought that personal story with them and planted their first vines in 2003. The boutique winery opened in 2006, and Dunstone has since grown into one of Wellington's most charming small-estate experiences -- a place where winemaking, French-inspired dining and luxury guesthouse accommodation converge against a backdrop of some of the Cape's most dramatic mountain scenery.

The winemaking philosophy at Dunstone is rooted in terroir-driven, single-vineyard selection. All grapes are meticulously harvested by hand and vinified using traditional methods with minimal intervention, allowing the Bovlei Valley's warm days, cool mountain breezes and decomposed granite soils to speak through each bottle. The estate operates two wine ranges: the Roots range, which includes Grenache, Grenache Shiraz and Shiraz, and the premium Del Vaeye range, featuring a single-vineyard Shiraz, an SMV blend of Shiraz, Mourvedre and Viognier, and the Marie-J Cap Classique made from Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Production is deliberately small -- the Marie-J, for instance, is limited to 3,600 bottles aged fifteen months on the lees.

The shared passion between Lee and Abbi, Robert Frith (Abbi's father) and winemaker Neil Marais is evident throughout the winemaking process. Previous vintages were shaped by Danie De Bruyn, and the estate has built a reputation for consistent quality and a distinctly Rhone-influenced red wine style that suits Wellington's warm terroir perfectly.

Roots Bistro provides the dining experience at Dunstone, serving French-influenced cuisine that pairs naturally with the estate wines. The guesthouse offers upmarket accommodation in country house suites as well as the self-catering Guava Cottage, surrounded by vineyards with the Hawequa mountains as a stunning backdrop. An outdoor pool and hot tub complete the retreat, and a children's playground makes it accessible for families.

Wine tastings are available by appointment only at Roots Bistro. The intimate scale of the operation means visitors receive personal attention, often from the owners themselves. Dunstone proves that in Wellington's boutique wine scene, small vineyards with passionate people can produce wines of genuine distinction.