02. Who are we?
The 265 ha Jacobsdal estate lies on the extreme south-westerly edge of the Stellenbosch Wine of Origin region.
Here wine farming is a creative act, and dedication to soil and vine a way of life. Grown as bush vines, the crop is limited by extensive pruning, making it possible to produce quality grapes under absolute dry-land conditions, and the wines are made with minimal intervention, using traditional French natural fermentation techniques.
The Dumas family has been making wine on the estate for three generations, with present owner Cornelis Dumas helped by his son Hannes, who will eventually take over the reins. Cornelis ascribes his success with natural fermentation to a squeaky clean cellar where no bacteria is given a chance to ruin the wine.
It is situated between Stellenbosch and Kuils River, with its vineyards planted on the slopes of the hills overlooking False Bay, less than 10 km away. The soil of the 85 ha planted to bush vines has a gravelly, sandy loam structure with yellow clay as its base. A broadly organic approach is followed in growing the vines, and kraal-manure from the mixed farming with sheep and cattle on Jacobsdal is used extensively as fertiliser in the vineyards.
