Doran Arya Chenin Blanc / Sauvignon Blanc

Additional information

Origin	Voor-Paardeberg, South Africa
Main grapes	Chenin Blanc
Other grapes	Sauvignon Blanc
Vintage	2024
Bottle sizes	75cl

Description

Doran Arya is a multi-varietal South African white wine blend. It is a blend Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc vinified separately and then blended just before bottling

Doran Vineyards can be found on the Far Horizons Farm in the Voor-Paardeberg wine terroir located between Paarl and Riebeek Kasteel. Voor-Paardeberg is a small wine-growing area within the Paarl winegrowing district which was awarded its WO (Wine of Origin) in 2006. The nearest town is Wellington some 15 minutes away. The region enjoys a very hot and dry climate, with rain very rare in the summer months. Dry farming is very common in the area, with sea air from the Atlantic offering a vital moderating factor to the intense summer heat.

Doran Vineyards was established by Irishman Edwin Doran. Edwin first started visiting South Africa in 1981 and would go on to set up a very successful travel business bringing sports tours to the country. He sold the sports tour business in 2008 to Tui Travel Plc. He then bought Far Horizons Farm with his partner Andre Badenhorst in 2010. They immediately set about implementing a R50 million investment programme at the 179 hectare farm. The estate is also run as a mixed farm with arable, Aberdeen Angus cattle and Île-de-France sheep.

The first vines were already planted at the farm in 1995 and included five red grape varieties, including Pinotage and Syrah, to this was added Grenache and Durif, and three white grape varieties, Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne eventually followed in 2011. In 2019 Edwin’s son, Tom, joined the company.

The Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc grapes for the Doran Arya were picked early in the cool hours of the morning and brought into the cellar for destemming and crushing. The free-run juice was left overnight and racked the following day into stainless steel fermentation tanks. The fermentation period took 14 days at a controlled 13 to 14 degrees Celcius, after which the wine was left on its lees for two months. Each cultivar was vinified separately and then blended just before bottling.