DOUGLAS GREEN WINES
Douglas Green knew his wine. Besides having been to South Africa’s famous wine school, Elsenburg and being a qualified as a winemaker and viticulturist, his fine palate and talent for tasting was well known.
He began his business with the purchase of the Forrer brother’s Stukvat liquor business in Paarl’s main road in 1938, and he is recognised as South Africa’s first true ‘negotiant’ wine merchant. It was risky and unconventional in his day, but he successfully ignored regionalism in favour of quality and price sourcing grapes and wine from across the Cape to blend his top quality range of wines.
By 1942, his label was famed for its superiority and consistency year after year. His progressive approach established Douglas Green wines at the forefront of fantastic, affordable lifestyle wines in South Africa.
Today, Douglas Green wines capture the character and the vibrancy of the Cape. For almost 70 years people from around the world have come to appreciate that beneath every cork lies a true taste of Africa in all its diversity.
Our Viticultural Philosophy
We source only the best vineyards and growers, from the best suited regions for each variety to create our distinctive fruit-driven signature wines.
By selecting and sourcing grapes from the varied terrains of the Cape winelands, we stay true to our unmistakably new world fruity style whilst achieving consistent standards, vintage after vintage. Our dedication to the selection of grapes according to varietal expression and excellence, guarantees that every bottle is a testament to Cape wine at its best.
Our Vineyards and Growers
Stephan Joubert is our expert viticulturist who leads us through the great diversity of Cape mountains and valleys to seek out the finest vineyards and viticultural circumstances, pinpointed for definitive styles. Our great relationships with our growers developed over several harvests have ensured ultimate understanding of the specific yields, harvesting and vineyard nurturing that is true to the Douglas Green style of wines.
At the beginning of each season, Stephan visits each vineyard to establish the management techniques required to produce fruit that is best suited to Douglas Green’s fresh, easy-drinking style. This might require, for example, opening up leafy canopies to ensure that the grapes get more sun and ripen accordingly. It might mean thinning the crop where bunches are too large to improve fruit concentration.
Prior to harvest and at every stage of development, the Douglas Green team is on hand to taste and analyse the fruit, ensuring that the grapes evolve according to the Douglas Green plan. Flavour, bouquet, texture and suppleness are assessed by touch, taste, smell and a wealth of experience. There is no room for mistakes, no place for mediocrity and no window of opportunity to be missed.
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