Rall Wines’ Ascension

Donovan is one of the key figures in South Africa’s dynamic New Wave movement. As one of the original “garagista” producers in Swartland, Donovan can proudly claim to produce some of the country’s most highly sought-after wines. Well-travelled, affable, and ambitious, he studied viticulture and enology at the University of Stellenbosch with David Sadie, among others. After graduating in 2005, Donovan spent the next two years gaining experience and getting stuck into harvests around the world. On his return to South Africa in 2007, he spent a season in Swartland, assisting none other than Eben Sadie (Sadie Family Wines). It was here that he found inspiration from Mediterranean varieties to create wines under his own label. Within a year, he had six barrels to his name, and the inaugural Rall White was born. It was an immediate critical success, and Donovan soon set out on his own. Since then, he has continued to acquire small parcels of top-quality fruit, contract vineyards, and solidify his reputation as a master blender. Over time, he has refined his winemaking style towards fresher, more vivid wines, and his creations have never been better. Today, Rall White is widely regarded as one of the finest blends coming out of the Cape. Fermentations are natural and spontaneous with no interventions, and aging takes place in various vessels, including foudre, concrete, barrels, and amphora, depending on the variety. Primarily Swartland-based, Donovan also sources premium fruit from Piekenierskloof, Darling, and Stellenbosch, and consults on various projects across the country. Donovan Rall has established himself as one of South Africa’s finest winemakers.

First growth of South Africa - Tim Atkin MW

In 2019, UK Master of Wine, Tim Atkin highlighted the profound influence of figures like Donovan, who, along with others, have significantly reshaped the wine industry.

Tim Atkin MW’s 2024 South Africa Special Report is based on the tasting of 2,259 South African wines from 427 different producers. Each year, the report includes a classification of the Cape’s producers, loosely modeled on the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. It features six bands of wineries: First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Growths (20 wineries each), along with a larger group of Crus Bourgeois (100 wineries). Unlike its French predecessor, Atkin’s classification is revised annually and is based solely on quality, not price.

Rall Wines secured a spot as a First Growth in the 2024 report, marking the fifth consecutive year of this recognition.