DORAN VINEYARDS OWNER
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 left Ireland on 4 November 1966 and has traveled the world ever since. He was born in the same village where Arthur Guinness brewed his first beer in1756.
1981
Edwin has been coming to South Africa since 1981.
1992
He became the first sports travel company to bring sports tours back to South Africa.
2002
Edwin made his first purchase in SA with a holiday apartment in Cape Town’s Waterfront.
2010
He purchased Far Horizons Farm on September 27th
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.
We also have sheep and produce barley, oathay, and lucerne crops. Our tasting room is called The Clubhouse as it is stacked with Edwin’s sports memorabilia from South Africa, New Zealand, England, and Ireland. It features stars of cricket, football (soccer), and rugby with bats, jerseys, balls, etc signed by some of the sport’s most famous players. We are now expanding our range of products to include events (anniversaries, birthdays, company meetings, weddings, etc) using our facilities including accommodation.