Ormonde Wines

Ormonde Wines takes its name not from a person but from a famous English racehorse whose bloodline was once stabled on this Darling farm. The property itself is called Alexanderfontein, and it has been in the Basson family since 1970, when Nico Basson purchased the farm and began planting vineyards that would help establish Darling as one of the West Coast's most promising wine regions. The family traces its roots to the French Huguenots who arrived in South Africa in the late seventeenth century — a lineage that gives extra resonance to a winemaking enterprise now in its third generation.

Today, proprietor Theo Basson embraces the legacy left to him by his father Nico and his grandfathers before him. The estate sits on Mount Pleasant Street in Darling, a cool-climate pocket on the West Coast where Atlantic breezes moderate the vineyards and produce wines of natural freshness. Theo appointed Razvan Macici as cellarmaster — a significant hire, given Macici's previous tenure overseeing winemaking at Distell, one of the largest wine companies in Africa.

The wines are marketed under three ranges that tell the family story at different scales. Alexanderfontein offers accessible single-varietal wines — Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and corresponding reds. The Ondine Specialty Collection, named for the ballet created by Sir Frederick Ashton for Dame Margot Fonteyn, pays tribute to the family's female legacies and includes Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Malbec. The flagship Theodore Eksteen — a Rhone-style blend of Shiraz and Grenache — honours Theo's maternal grandfather, who made his first wine in 1926.

The tasting room pairs wines with artisan chocolate, and a restaurant on site offers dishes designed to complement the range. With a 4.7-star rating from over two hundred reviews and consistent praise from visitors for the warmth of the hospitality, Ormonde has earned a loyal and growing following among West Coast wine enthusiasts. The estate also received recognition from Tim Atkin MW, adding international credibility to the domestic acclaim. Open Monday to Saturday with a gift shop stocked with estate wines and local products, Ormonde closes on Sundays. For those exploring the West Coast wine route, this is a family farm with Huguenot roots stretching back over three centuries, a racing pedigree in its name, and a deeply experienced cellarmaster who once ran one of the biggest wine operations on the entire African continent.