Elke and Friedrich-Wilhelm Dauphin’s love story with Franschhoek started in 1999 when they bought Allée Bleue. Friedrich-Wilhelm had found success in what is now known as Dauphin HumanDesign Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of ergonomic office furniture, and through his business dealings he developed a deep love for South Africa and its people. Elke was the creative spirit who inspired the farm’s visionary focus on innovative marketing and design. She passed away in 2016, and four years later, Covid struck.
In 2023, Allée Bleue’s custodians began rekindling Elke and Friedrich-Wilhelm’s love story in earnest, working with their daughter, Antje, to ensure their special relationship with the farm and the country is honoured. The farm is situated at a strategic junction of two main roads. It’s also where the Dwars River and the Berg River meet. “Allée Bleue is a place of gathering, connection and celebration,” CEO Edo Heyns says. “People coming together has always been part of our story and nothing captures this better than a glass of wine."
Design and wine
The Dauphin family has always emphasised quality and aesthetics, and these virtues form the foundation of a premiumisation programme that underscores Allée Bleue’s reputation as a coveted destination for farm-fresh food, excellent wines and warm-hearted hospitality. “We want quality and aspiration to be visible everywhere, from the food in the bistro to the quality of the herbs and wine, and events we host,” Edo says. “Friedrich-Wilhelm has always been passionate about enjoyment and sharing good food and wine. Wine is an aspirational product, much like his design and furniture businesses, and we can take a few lessons from those industries. Building brand equity is extremely important.”
The farm has recently appointed a new events manager and chef to execute this vision. Every aspect of the farm bears Elke’s signature attention to detail and emphasis on design. “There’s something called socioemotional wealth, which refers to the non-financial advantages that come with a sense of pride and family heritage,” Edo says. “This is lies at the heart of Allée Bleue.”
Outside the box
The buildings and grounds have already seen significant upgrades, and the vineyards are next. Visitors who are used to driving through the vineyards to the main complex and venue will probably be the first to notice the changes. The farm’s 25 ha of vineyards have been expertly reassessed to ensure they’re only planted where they can meet the stringent quality demands.
Intensive soil mapping and analyses will determine eight hectares of new plantings of vines, lemons, olives or rosemary, displaying the benefits of a diversified business that produces wine, fruit and herbs. Following the natural patterns of various soil types, predictable rectangular vineyard blocks will be replaced by contoured rows of new plantings reflecting the focus on shapes, design and quality. Vines will be interspersed with other crops – form following function. These visible changes hint at a deeper concern for playing to the farm’s strengths and other investments. “The farm will maintain its distinctive identity as a wine farm, but the landscape will reflect the fact that we’re a mixed farm with a strong farm-to- table element,” Edo says.
Perfect confluence
Douw Willemse has been viticulturist and general farm manager since 2006. Having to keep an eye on everything that grows and lives on Allée Bleue’s considerable 210-ha property means he has his hands full with multiple harvests. “Douw maintains a balance between understanding the people, river, soils, seasons, vineyards, herbs and fruit,” Edo says. “Like all our staff, he’s worth his weight in gold. We’ll keep building on this knowledge base and intellectual property.”
A total of 32 greenhouse tunnels supply herbs for a substantial business thanks to cutting-edge technology and ongoing experimentation. As the only wine farm that also specialises in herbs, Allée Bleue is one of the country’s most productive and innovative producers. “We grow all the main varieties including coriander, basil, thyme, chives, parsley and mint,” Douw says.
Besides the vineyards and herbs, Allée Bleue also boasts impressive citrus, persimmon, nectarine, plum and pear orchards. Olive oil is sold exclusively under the Allée Bleue brand name, and the fresh produce lends itself to other derivatives that can further strengthen the brand. The farm’s diversification and strategic location between Paarl, Stellenbosch and Franschhoek can be leveraged to make Allée Bleue a preeminent hospitality and events hub.
None of this, however, detracts from the wine, with varieties such as Pinotage, Shiraz, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Chenin going into a pared-down range of 12 wines, vinified by Van Zyl du Toit and his cellar team in a well-equipped 500-tonne cellar. The wide variety of soils on the farm informs the breadth of Allée Bleue’s wine range. The Pinotage is grown on rocky soil that strongly resembles the terroir of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. “Franschhoek is best known for Chardonnay, and our Isabeau Chardonnay will soon be certified Old Vine,” Edo says. “We’ve also recently added a beautiful Cap Classique Blanc de Blanc.”
With Edo’s specialisation in family businesses and intergenerational success, Allée Bleue is poised to live up to Elke’s vision for a diverse, inclusive and aspirational destination – a legacy her children and grandchildren can cherish forever.