Our Farm
Lomond is situated on The Agulhas Plain near the southernmost tip of Africa at Cape Agulhas – the meeting place of the Indian and Atlantic Oceans – 10km from the fishing village of Gansbaai and within sight of the sea.
The vineyards were planted only on previously cultivated land within sight of the ocean. This maritime climate with the resulting cooling sea breezes ensures that the vineyards are kept cool which results in late ripening intense fruit.Â
This unique combination of geography, geology and climate results in terroir that is perfect for producing world-class wine.
The Cape Agulhas appellation has its place among the world’s top winegrowing regions, and one about which we are incredibly passionate.
Our Vineyards
Lomond’s cultivars, selected to match both the farm’s terroir and climate, consist of Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Shiraz, Sémillon, Nouvelle, Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinot Noir, Mourvedre and Viognier. We have also recently planted Chenin Blanc which, if successful, will be the southernmost Chenin Blanc in Africa.Â
Lomond’s geological formation is unique. On the slopes of Ben Lomond mountain in the Uilkenkraal Valley, our vineyards are planted on as many as 18 different soil types, which appear naturally in small pockets along the slopes and produce intriguingly complex wines with flavour profiles that differ markedly from one block to the next.
Altitudes of the wine blocks vary, with some blocks around 50m above sea level, while others are located around 100 m above sea level, with uninterrupted exposure to the ocean breeze. Even the lowest-lying vineyards benefit from the cool maritime breezes. The naturally occurring indigenous vegetation and the terrain’s low hills act as a filter for the salt-laden sea air.
Lomond:
Behind the Name
Legend has it that the mountains on the farm, Ben Lomond and Ben Nevis, were named by the Scottish survivors of the HMS Birkenhead which sank off Danger Point on the 26th of February 1852.
Whilst transporting troops to Algoa Bay, she was wrecked at Danger Point near Gansbaai, 87 miles (140 kilometres) from Cape Town, South Africa. There were not enough serviceable lifeboats for all the passengers. The soldiers famously stood firm on board, thereby allowing the women and children to board the boats safely.
Only 193 of the estimated 643 people on board survived. The soldiers’ chivalry gave rise to the unofficial “women and children first” protocol when abandoning ship, while the “Birkenhead drill” of Rudyard Kipling’s poem came to describe courage in face of hopeless circumstances.
Legend has it that when Scottish survivors arrived in our valley, they were met with morning mists and the flowering of the purple Gansbaai Erica which reminded them of Scotland. They named the two highest mountains on the farm, Ben Lomond and Ben Nevis.
When we named the farm, we looked at the topographical maps and saw the names of the two mountains. In Scotland, Loch Lomond lies at the foothills of Ben Lomond. On completion of the farm’s 4km, 108 hectare dam (our own ‘Loch’) , the decision was made to name the farm Lomond.
Director
Geoff Mclver
Cape Town deliveries
Dayve
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