DORAN VINEYARDS OWNER
Meet Edwin Doran
Edwin has been coming to South Africa since 1981. His previous company was the largest sports tour operator to SA every year. In 1992, he became the first sports travel company to bring sports tours back to South Africa. The same year, they were the first ever tour operator to take guests into a township – Langa.
In the same year, he set up a business with his great friend, the Bishop’s stalwart, Paul Dobson. His company also paid 50% of the school fees for 50 schoolchildren every year to go to the government school of their choice. But that was not all of Edwin’s and his company’s contributions to the Western Cape’s underprivileged communities.
1966
Edwin arrived in London as a very, very naïve Irish lad. It didn’t take long for his eyes to open.
1974
Edwin sets up his travel business in Twickenham
1980
Edwin marries Rosie – a British Airways Concorde stewardess
1981
When Edwin first came to South Africa
1992
Edwin opens an operations and sales office in Cape Town
2008
Edwin sells Sports Travel to Tui Travel plc
2010
Edwin buys Far Horizons Farm, Voor Paardeberg
2011
The first new white varietals are planted – Chenin, Grenache and Roussanne
2019
The first year of developing cattle + Tom joins the business (We manage the farm from the UK)
2021
Farm manager, Basson Potgieter, leaves after 8 years. New GM/Winemaker, Piet Kleinhans, joins the team
2022
We expand in the hospitality and event business with our Marketing Manager, Liesl Basson | Harmony the Harvester is purchased | The start of our 6-year vine replanting scheme
2023
Monique Cook arrives as our new Administrator
A Passion for Wine
Edwin’s wine journey to
Doran Vineyards
In June 2002, Edwin made his first purchase in SA – a holiday apartment in Cape Town’s Waterfront. On November 7th. 2008, he sold his sports travel business to one of the world’s biggest travel companies, Tui Travel plc.
He purchased Far Horizons Farm on September 27th. 2010. He immediately began an R50 million investment programme working with his partner, Andre Badenhorst. The story is that Edwin wanted a boutique little wine farm of up to 20 hectares. Far Horizons is 179ha – the same size as Monte Carlo!! Very boutique. It initially had five red wine cultivars to which were added Grenache Noir as well as three white wine cultivars – Chenin, Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne.
Far Horizons was originally a cattle farm. The cow’s milking shed became the cellar!! And true to our tradition, we went back to cattle a few years ago. They are more profitable than grapes.
Food and wine lover
Meet Tom Doran
Tom has had a range of life professional experiences. Starting with a very successful professional rugby career playing for London Irish and Esher as well as Ireland Youth, England Clubs, and Universities. He then continued to share his love of rugby teaching PE at Epsom College and Radnor House.
He left the teaching profession to work in another passion, cooking. Having worked in many Michelin-starred restaurants, he set up his pop-up (Edwin was the sommelier) in Teddington and Twickenham before asking Edwin about selling the family wine. He studied extremely hard to get his WSET Diploma greatly expanding his knowledge, he has an outstanding palate deepening his love of wine and food.