Iona Vineyards - Preisgekröntes Weingut in Südafrikas Elgin Region

Iona Vineyards' owner and winemaker Andrew Gunn is passionate about creating wines that reflect the terroir of this remarkable Elgin Valley region as faithfully as possible. The winery's award-winning and highly acclaimed portfolio of Iona Sauvignon Blanc, Iona Chardonnay, Iona Pinot Noir and Iona One Man Band, a blend of Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, Mourvedre and Viognier, is experiencing a constant shower of prestigious and coveted awards from the wine world.

The story of Iona began in early 1997, when engineer Andrew Gunn had had enough of the fast-paced of life in Johannesburg and set out to find a farm in the Cape that would suit him. After about 40 farm visits with a somewhat exhausted estate agent, Andrew finally fell in love with the apple farm "Geelbeksvlei", named after the yellow-billed ducks that inhabit the surrounding area. But he didn't just want apples - Andrew planted the first vineyards in 1998, with a focus on Sauvignon Blanc and a few blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, followed by Chardonnay, Semillon and Pinot Noir. In a very short time Iona, named after the island of Iona on the west coast of Scotland, developed into one of the best producers of Sauvignon Blanc in South Africa with the first vintage in 2001.

Surrounded by the Kogelberg Nature Reserve, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, Iona is situated in the coolest part of the Cape. The grapes here ripen on average up to two months later than in other vineyards in the Cape, and are harvested at optimum ripeness, with the cool climate providing a low pH and excellent acid balance. The results are elegant, refined and wonderfully balanced wines.