The South African wine industry is fantastic not least because there are an almost endless number of boutique estates whose craftsmanship may be explored.
One such boutique estate is Onoma Private Cellar, a family owned and operated boutique winery, nestled at the foot of the Stellenbosch hills on Felica Farm.
Purchased by the Yiannakis family in 1999, they originally produced wine only for family and friends.
One of this estate’s key differentiators is that they are the only Greek wine farmers in the region and their wine has a strong Greek influence.
After the untimely death of his father Com, Blaise Yiannakis, decided that it was time to share his wines with the public, selecting the wines that were maturing in the barrel at the time, to be Onoma’s Private Cellar’s hallmark release.
The name “Onoma” was selected in honour of his father’s legacy, which means good name, character and reputation.
The terroir at the farm is perfect for the production of the varietals Onoma has selected, namely Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Syrah.
The grapes are highly sought after as the cool sea breeze helps protect the vines from disease and also delays ripening, allowing for greater concentration of flavour in the fruit.
The brief to wine maker Matthew van Heerden was to create wines in the Greek wine making tradition – classic, simple, unfussy – allowing the quality of the grapes to shine through.
Onoma Private Cellar concentrates on producing small quantities, and only the best are bottled.
Onoma Private Cellar Wines
In the short time since their release Onoma wines have won multiple Gold and Double Gold awards at the Michelangelo Wine and Spirits Awards as well as four and 4.5-star Platter ratings.
I have been partial to Syrah since I first started to enjoy red wine. At that time my knowledge of wine was very limited and I just loved the name “Syrah”. I remember telling my girlfriend at the time that I thought it would make a delightful name for a daughter. She wasn’t impressed by my idea but my delight for this cultivar persists to this day.
The Onoma Syrah 2021 won Double Gold at the Michelangelo Wine Awards in 2022 and deservedly so as I discovered when enjoying a bottle at one of my favourite restaurants recently.
Syrah pairs well with veal, as I told my girlfriend who had vocally disapproved of my meal order. The brisk acidity, moderate tannins, red and black fruits and earthy, smoky flavours of the Syrah compliment the light, fresh and almost sweet veal. In this case the veal had been crumbed and a rich, fruity mouthful of Onoma Syrah was the perfect pairing.
The Onoma syrah is aged for 18 months in French Oak which gives it a hint of vanilla and a lovely layered depth. I felt particularly privileged to be enjoying this wine as only five barrels were produced. To be fair, my girlfriend did approve of my wine selection which she said paired well with her mushroom risotto.
Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 won a 4.5-star Platter 2022 rating, and Gold in the Michelangelo Wine Awards in 2021.
Chardonnay 2021 won a 4-star Platter rating in 2021.
Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 won a 4-star Platter rating and Gold in the Michelangelo Wine Awards in 2021.
Onoma Private Cellar wines may be purchased online (see hyperlinks above) or at select speciality wine merchants in Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Contact Details
For more information call 082 468 3788 or email info@onomawines.com
Onoma Private Cellar may be found at Felicia Farm, Polkadraai Road, Stellenbosch, South Africa.
Facebook: @OnomaWines
Instagram: @onoma_privatecellar
