Sijnn Wines

At the end of a long, dusty, bumpy road near the town of Malgas in the Overberg, where the Breede River winds toward the Indian Ocean and the landscape feels more like the Mediterranean than the Cape Winelands, Sijnn Wines occupies one of the most improbable and extraordinary vineyard sites in South Africa.

When David and Rita Trafford — David being the celebrated winemaker behind De Trafford Wines in Stellenbosch — first visited the Malgas region in 2000, they were captivated by the soils in the Lemoentuin area. More than 200 soil profiles later, they identified twelve hectares of land where the earth was ninety per cent stone, forcing vine roots to delve deep in their search for water. They planted Mediterranean varieties — Syrah, Mourvèdre, Touriga Nacional, Trincadeira, and Tempranillo for reds; Chenin Blanc, Viognier, and Roussanne for whites — recognising that this warm, dry, wind-moderated terroir had more in common with southern France or the Douro than with Stellenbosch.

The maritime climate is the key: just fifteen kilometres from the sea, southerly winds sweep in late each morning, moderating the warmth and extending the growing season. The soils are so poor and the climate so dry that all vines are grown as bush vines, naturally adapting to their harsh environment with minimal human intervention. This combination of stress, stone, and sea produces wines of intense terroir expression and concentrated fruit.

For the first decade, wines were made off-site. In 2014, an on-site winery was constructed, and Charla Bosman joined as head winemaker. Charla, a University of Stellenbosch graduate who had worked harvests at Kanonkop and Tokara, brought fresh energy and precision to Sijnn's cellar. She won Tim Atkin's Young Winemaker of the Year award in 2022. In 2025, Charla departed to pursue her personal label, Charla Haasbroek Wines, full time.

The core range consists of two wines: Sijnn White, a blend led by Chenin Blanc with Viognier and Roussanne, and Sijnn Red, a blend anchored by Syrah with Mourvèdre, Touriga Nacional, and Trincadeira. Limited single-varietal bottlings and the Kingfisher Red offer deeper exploration of the terroir. The tasting room welcomes visitors by appointment.

Sijnn is a true unicorn in South African wine — the first growth appellation in the Malgas region, a pioneer in a landscape where nobody thought wine could thrive, producing some of the most distinctive and terroir-driven bottles in the country. For those willing to make the journey, there is nothing else quite like it in the Cape.