Tokara

GT Ferreira, a co-founder of FirstRand and one of South Africa's most prominent businessmen, purchased the farm on the slopes of the Simonsberg in 1994 as a family home. Neighbour and Thelema vintner Gyles Webb persuaded Ferreira to recognise the land's exceptional viticultural potential, and first Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted in 1996. Ferreira formally committed to the wine business in 1999, and construction of the state-of-the-art cellar followed. The first harvest took place in 2000, with wines initially released under the Zondernaam label (a reference to the property's original 17th-century listing as 'the farm with no name'), before the premium Tokara label launched in 2005. The estate name itself is a combination of the couple's children's names, Thomas and Kara.

• Land purchased 1994 by GT Ferreira, co-founder of FirstRand; formal wine venture launched 1999; first harvest 2000
• Estate sits on the crest of the Helshoogte Pass, about 5km from Stellenbosch, on the Stellenbosch side of the Banghoek Valley
• Elevation ranges from 350 to 550 metres above sea level, with soils of weathered sandstone and decomposed 400-million-year-old granite
• The Tokara premium label replaced the Zondernaam entry-level label in 2005 to mark a clear quality tier distinction

Tokara's Reserve Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 was awarded Best in Show at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2024, scoring 97 points and earning 5 Stars in Platter's 2025 Wine Guide. This placed it among only 50 wines to receive Best in Show status at the world's largest wine competition, confirming Tokara's standing at the very top of South African winemaking. In November 2025, the estate ranked 71st on The World's 50 Best Vineyards extended list, joining Delaire Graff, La Motte and Hamilton Russell as South African representatives, with judges recognising Tokara's Helshoogte corridor as a convergence of wine quality, food culture and contemporary art.

• Reserve Collection Cabernet Sauvignon 2021: 97 points and Best in Show, Decanter World Wine Awards 2024, one of only 50 wines so awarded
• Ranked 71st on The World's 50 Best Vineyards 2025 extended list, one of four South African estates recognised
• Cabernet Sauvignon accounts for approximately 65% of Tokara's vineyard plantings, reflecting the estate's single-minded focus
• Telos, the pinnacle Cab at 1,000 bottles per vintage, is positioned as a benchmark for South African Cabernet Sauvignon

Stuart Botha took over from the long-serving Miles Mossop in 2017 at the age of 32. After completing his oenology degree at Elsenburg Agricultural Institute, Botha gained experience at Chateau Bellefont Belcier and Chateau Trianon in Saint-Emilion, then headed winemaking at Eagles' Nest in Constantia before joining Tokara. He was named Young Winemaker of the Year in Tim Atkin MW's South Africa Special Report 2025. His philosophy centres on terroir expression: wines are vinified parcel by parcel before blending, with grapes hand-sorted and gravity-fed directly into fermentation tanks. The estate was the first cellar in South Africa to make commercial use of the NDVI process, capturing visible and infrared light from vineyards to identify variances between cultivated sections.

• Winemaker Stuart Botha trained at Elsenburg and Saint-Emilion; joined Tokara 2017; named Tim Atkin Young Winemaker of the Year 2025
• Grapes hand-sorted and gravity-fed to fermentation tanks below rooftop reception level, minimising mechanical intervention
• NDVI precision viticulture technology, first used commercially in South Africa at Tokara, enables targeted vineyard management
• Soils of decomposed granite and weathered sandstone on Simonsberg slopes lend structure, perfume and aging potential

Tokara organises its wines into three clearly defined tiers. The Premium Collection offers fruit-driven, accessible wines blended from across the estate's sites. The Reserve Collection showcases terroir-specific, single-vineyard expressions in limited volumes, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Syrah. The Directors Reserve represents the flagship blends of the finest parcels: a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant red (first vintage 2003) and a Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon white (first vintage 2004). Above these sits Telos, the pinnacle single-block Cabernet Sauvignon limited to 1,000 bottles per vintage, first released from the 2015 vintage and aged 22 months in 65% new French oak. The estate also produces a Cap Classique sparkling wine and an XO Potstill Brandy from Chenin Blanc.

• Three main tiers: Premium Collection (multi-site blends), Reserve Collection (single-vineyard), Directors Reserve (flagship blends of best parcels)
• Director's Reserve Red: Cab-dominant Bordeaux blend, first vintage 2003; Director's Reserve White: Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, first vintage 2004
• Telos: single-block Cab Sauvignon, 1,000 bottles, first release 2015 vintage; 92% Cab/8% Petit Verdot, 22 months in 65% new French oak
• Portfolio also includes Cap Classique sparkling wine and an XO Potstill Brandy produced in copper potstill from Chenin Blanc

The Tokara estate is designed as a holistic destination where wine, food, olive oil and contemporary South African art converge. The restaurant, which opened in 2004, is adorned with five tapestries by internationally acclaimed artist William Kentridge and offers fine dining with panoramic views over the Stellenbosch winelands to False Bay and Table Mountain. The Ferreira family are patrons of contemporary South African art, and sculptures are placed throughout the estate's fynbos gardens. The Tokara Delicatessen offers a family-friendly bistro experience. The olive oil programme, launched by Anne-Marie Ferreira in 2000, has grown from 4 hectares to more than 22 hectares of Tuscan varieties including Frantoio, Coratina, Leccino and Mission, producing cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil in a boutique mill using Italian pressing technology.

• Restaurant opened 2004; decorated with William Kentridge tapestries; panoramic views to False Bay and Table Mountain
• Olive oil programme started 2000 by Anne-Marie Ferreira; now 22+ hectares of Tuscan varieties producing cold-pressed extra virgin olive oil
• Estate-wide sculpture collection curated throughout fynbos gardens, olive orchards and pathways between the winery and delicatessen
• Tasting lounge looks directly into the fermentation cellar, offering visitors a candid view of the winemaking process

The winery building at the crest of the Helshoogte Pass combines natural stone, concrete and glass to blend with the surrounding landscape rather than dominate it. Grapes are received at rooftop level, hand-sorted and gravity-fed down into the fermentation tanks below, eliminating the need for pumps and reducing mechanical stress on fruit. The gravity-flow design reflects the estate's commitment to minimal intervention. Tokara was the first cellar in South Africa to make commercial use of the NDVI process, which captures visible and infrared light from the vineyards to map vine vigour and identify differences between blocks, enabling precise, targeted decisions in the vineyard before harvest.

• Gravity-flow winery: grapes received at rooftop, hand-sorted, then gravity-fed to fermentation tanks below without pumps
• First cellar in South Africa to use NDVI commercially, mapping vineyard variances via infrared light analysis
• Building uses natural stone and clean lines to complement rather than compete with the surrounding mountain landscape
• Tokara has committed to reducing absolute Scope 1 and Scope 2 greenhouse gas emissions by 63% by 2035 from a 2024 baseline