The first of the du Boises in South Africa, François Gustave, arrived on the West Coast as a young man in 1839. He was sent ashore to collect timber, fitting for a man whose name means “of the forest.” On his way to Cape Town, perhaps seeking a fresh start in Franschhoek, he was instead captivated by the West Coast. His curiosity led him to a place full of beauty and promise. Generations later, after serving as a viticulturist at Uitkyk, Nicolaas du Bois –grandfather of the current patron, Gabriël (Gawie) du Bois Snr – purchased the farm Sonop. He had considered naming it Windheuwel, inspired by the fierce winds that sweep across the hills, but ultimately chose Sonop because of how the morning light settles on the slopes. There, he began cultivating wine grapes, laying the foundation for the family’s viticultural legacy.
Ninety-three years later, Gawie Snr and his sons Gabriël Jnr and Jacques have turned a long-held dream into reality.
About Our Crest
Our crest takes its inspiration from a historic du Bois family emblem. The original features a roaring lion between two cut tree trunks and carries the motto “hold on to your faith”, a phrase that reflects the Huguenot pursuit of freedom of expression.
For us, the lion marks the rise of a new era in our journey as growers. It speaks to courage, determination and an unbroken thread of continuity with our past. Our farm, Sonop, means sunrise which we see as a symbol of a new dawn in our evolving story. The bush vines, shown in growth, represent the abundance of our shale soils in Koelenhof and the way these soils continue to give rise to generous, characterful fruit season after season.
Koelenhof
Stellenbosch
This rectangular stretch of land runs across the northeastern slopes of the Bottelaryberg, crossing the Plankenburg River and reaching toward the foothills of the Simonsberg mountains. It extends from the outer edges of Stellenbosch toward the border of Paarl. The area is defined by predominant shale with rocky soils along the hill crests, supported by a granitic underlayer. As the land falls into the valley and across the alluvial plains, the red soils become rich in iron (Koffieklip). These soils point to a time when Sonop hill stood as an island in the ancient sea that once covered the Koelenhof valley floor and the greater Stellenbosch basin.
This landscape supported nomadic pastoralists who grazed livestock, fished and hunted, with hardy vegetation such as fynbos anchoring the rocky slopes. Today, the area produces wines with a distinct minerality. They are less linear and austere than those from purely granitic sites, offering gravel edged notes with layered complexity and striking intensity.
Our Vineyards
Du Bois vineyards lie on the northern and eastern slopes of Sonop hill, planted as two single blocks established in 1982 and 1986. These old bush vines rise between two hundred and forty and two hundred and eighty metres, positioned to receive early morning light and consistent airflow throughout the season.
The vineyards, rooted in red and blue shale over fractured clay, capture morning sunlight and consistent moisture, producing fruit of exquisite balance and clarity.
Persistent False Bay breezes, a key element of Sonop Hill , temper vigour, intensify flavour and impart a notable minerality to the final wine.
Who we are
Gawie Du Bois
The proprietor and third generation grower with an intimate understanding of the terroir.
“It is a real privilege to express the taste of our land.”
Jacques Du Bois
Manages the Sonop farm business and that means spending every day walking the rows.
“The vineyards have shaped me as much as I’ve worked to shape them.”
Gabriël Du Bois
Trained winemaker who takes care of everything to do with wine.
“It feels like finishing a story that began generations ago.”
