De Trafford Wines

High on the eastern slopes of the Helderberg Mountain, at 393 metres above sea level and at the very end of the Blaauwklippen Road, sits Mont Fleur — the farm that David Trafford's family purchased in 1976 as inaccessible grazing land. Nobody imagined it would become one of South Africa's most celebrated boutique wineries. The Traffords saw potential where others saw only steep terrain and rocky soils, and over the next two decades they would transform the mountain farm into a site of extraordinary viticultural ambition.

David Trafford qualified as an architect from the University of Cape Town in 1988 and practiced full time until 1994, but wine was always the parallel passion. He was integrally involved in developing the family farm from a young age, planting a small experimental vineyard in 1983 to produce wines consumed by family and friends. These were the learning-curve years — 1984 to 1991 — during which Trafford gleaned practical knowledge from local winemakers and spent a formative vintage working in Saint-Emilion in Bordeaux. South Africa's quota restrictions meant a commercial vineyard had to wait until the regulations were lifted.

De Trafford Wines was formally established in 1992, and the first commercial release made it clear that something exceptional was happening on this mountain. With just five hectares under vine and production limited to approximately 3,500 cases per year, De Trafford is the definition of a boutique winery. David and his artist wife Rita hand-harvest every grape. Fermentation uses only indigenous yeast naturally present on the grape skins. A traditional basket press is used, gravity transfers the wine in and out of barrels, there are no additives, and no filtration before bottling. It is winemaking stripped to its essentials.

The wines reflect this uncompromising approach. The Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz, and Chenin Blanc are varietal benchmarks, each marked by intensity, complexity, and extraordinary ageing potential. The Blueprint Syrah offers a more approachable expression of the estate's Shiraz fruit. The Syrah 393 is a selection from the highest-altitude vineyard blocks. And the Elevation 393 — a Bordeaux-style blend of the best parcels of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, and Cabernet Franc — represents the summit of De Trafford's production, named for the farm's altitude and released only in exceptional vintages.

David Trafford joined the Cape Winemakers Guild and has contributed wines to the annual CWG Auction, including the acclaimed CWG Perspective bottlings. The estate has earned multiple Platter's 5-star ratings and Wine of the Year accolades. The tasting room, open Monday to Saturday, offers flights from R34 for the standard range to R2,000 for rare library vintages. A Little Villa in the Vineyard provides accommodation overlooking the vines.

De Trafford is a winery built on conviction — that the steep, rocky slopes of Mont Fleur, high above the valley floor, could produce wines of world-class stature without a single concession to industrial convenience. Two decades of acclaim have proven David Trafford right.