Iona Wines

In 1997, Andrew Gunn — an engineer by training who had made his fortune from a medical suture company — bought a run-down apple farm at the highest point of the Elgin Valley. He named it Iona, after the ancient island off the west coast of Scotland, honouring a family lineage he traces back over a thousand years to Olaf the Black, a Viking chief. The Viking longship on every bottle of Iona wine is not mere decoration; it is a statement of heritage.

What Gunn recognised in that neglected apple farm was something few others had seen: that the highest vineyards in Elgin, situated around 420 metres above sea level, possessed a combination of altitude, Atlantic proximity, cool sea breezes, orographic cloud cover and complex soils that made them arguably the coolest vineyard sites in South Africa. While the valley floor sits at 300 metres, Iona's highest plantings reach towards 900 metres, and harvest dates arrive up to two months after Stellenbosch. That extraordinarily long growing season — the slowest in the country — allows grapes to develop profound flavour complexity while retaining the bright, crystalline acidity that has become Iona's calling card.

Gunn planted Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and smaller parcels of Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Semillon. The viticultural approach is emphatically hands-off: the land is farmed according to organic and biodynamic principles, with particular attention paid to soil health. A resident flock of geese patrols the vineyards as natural pest controllers, and fifteen hectares of apple trees remain alongside the vines, maintaining the biodiversity of the original farm landscape.

The wine range reflects both the terroir and Gunn's personality. The Iona Elgin Highlands tier — Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir — represents the purest expression of the high-altitude site. Single-vineyard Chardonnays from the Kloof and Fynbos blocks offer deeper specificity. The One Man Band, a bold red blend of Syrah, Petit Verdot, Nebbiolo, Mourvedre, Cabernet Sauvignon and Viognier, is Gunn's personal statement — a wine as unconventional as the man who makes it. The Sophie range, named after the local nickname for Sauvignon Blanc (Sophie te'Blanche, easier for the farm workers to pronounce), offers everyday drinking produced from younger vines and bought-in grapes.

Iona holds BWI, IPW and WIETA sustainability accreditations. The tasting room, with its fireplaces, gardens, and views stretching to the ocean, is open Tuesday to Thursday, 10:00 to 16:00. Wheelchair access is available. It is an estate where the wild Atlantic weather meets patient winemaking, and the result is wines of uncommon elegance and precision.