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Coastal Region · South Africa

Producer profile

Zonnebloem Wines

Stellenbosch wines with Lauréat red blend, an organic Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz, and Sauvignon Blanc.

Place
South Africa
Known for
Stellenbosch red blends and Sauvignon Blanc
Wine context
Cabernet Sauvignon · Merlot · Sauvignon Blanc · Syrah / Shiraz
Editorial basis
World of Wine editorial profile · 8 sources

World of Wine editorial profile · Source list ↓

Atlas locationCoastal Region · South Africa59.29° N · 18.08° E

At A Glance

Field
Detail
Place
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Red varieties
Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot
White variety
Sauvignon Blanc
Notable bottle
Lauréat
Defining approach
Patient grape development and unhurried winemaking

The Producer

Marie Furter stepped into her father's responsibilities at age 21 after his death on 7 January 1940. Her maiden vintage won three trophies at the 1940 Paarl Wine Show. Zonnebloem Wines carries the name meaning sunflower, given to Willem Andries Malherbe's portion after an estate division. Zonnebloem Wines is associated with Heineken.

Place

Zonnebloem's present wines come from vineyards in Stellenbosch, while the brand's historical lineage reaches back to a 1692 land grant to Willem van der Merwe at Simondium near Paarl. The bottles are not estate grown continuations of that original farm.

Wines

The white is Zonnebloem Sauvignon Blanc, made from Sauvignon Blanc and marked by green apple, nettle, pear, blackcurrant leaf and lime. The reds divide between Zonnebloem Organic Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz, a 53% Shiraz and 47% Cabernet Sauvignon blend, and Lauréat, a four grape red combining Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot and Merlot.

Lauréat's grapes come from Jonkershoek, Devon Valley, Stellenbosch Kloof and Helderberg. The varieties are vinified separately, cold macerated for several days, then undergo malolactic fermentation in 300 litre barrels. The wine appeared in the 2026 Platter's five star Cape Bordeaux red blend lineup.

Final Word

The historical Zonnebloem farm delivered its final wines to Stellenbosch Farmers' Winery in 1963 and then stopped making wine to concentrate on grape growing.

Sources

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Where to go next

mapFind Zonnebloem Wines on the mapKeep the producer, its region and nearby places together.learningUnderstand Sauvignon BlancRead the quick library guide to Sauvignon Blanc, which is listed with this producer.