Vinty Wines introduces City by Dawn and City by Dusk - two Swartland blends from André Bruyns that bring real character without the hefty price tag. Small-batch, story-rich, and backed by top critics, they’re the kind of wines you’ll want to discover before everyone else does.
Vinty Wines, the online arm of The Wine Trader (Pty) Ltd, is proud to unveil the latest additions to The Vinty Collection: two expressive, small-batch wines crafted by Swartland’s quietly celebrated winemaker, André Bruyns.
First up is City by Dawn – White Blend 2021, a Swartland sunshine-in-a-bottle expression crafted from dry-farmed bush-vine Chenin Blanc grown in granite soils. Bursting with yellow peach, citrus zest, and a flick of fennel, it’s a mineral-forward wine with zesty clarity - perfect for brunch, porch sipping, or sharing with friends over a light summer spread.
Then there’s its dusky counterpart: City by Dusk – Red Blend 2021, a soulful blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan. With juicy mulberries, cracked pepper, wild herbs, and silky tannins, it’s a red made for fire-lit dinners, evening catchups, and slow Sunday roasts. Swartland character, bottled.
Meet the maker: André Bruyns
Behind both blends is André Bruyns, the winemaker behind City on a Hill. A quiet force in the Cape winelands, Bruyns cut his teeth under David and Nadia Sadie before launching his own label in 2015. Today, he’s also vineyard manager at Lammershoek, overseeing some of the Swartland’s oldest vines.
His approach is purist: naturally fermented wines, minimal intervention, and a strong connection to the soils he works with. The results speak for themselves.
- Christian Eedes (Winemag.co.za) awarded Bruyns’ 2022 Old Vine Chenin Blanc 94 points, praising it as “intensely flavoured and already rewarding to drink.”
- His 2018 White Blend scored 93 points, noted for its “punchy acidity and a savoury finish that stops just short of bitterness.”
- Tim Atkin MW has repeatedly applauded Bruyns’ work, including his Paardeberg Chenin Blanc, which he scored 93 points, describing it as “fresh, stony, focused, with yeasty complexity and green apple zip.”
Bruyns’ wines have become insider favourites among collectors and sommeliers alike, showing finesse, honesty, and a firm sense of place. The opportunity to feature his wines under The Vinty Collection makes these releases especially meaningful.
More than just a label
The Vinty Collection isn’t a brand, it’s a curated journey. Each wine is sourced from boutique cellars and unique vineyards across Stellenbosch, Swartland, Botrivier and beyond. Often, these are wines made in limited quantities by passionate winemakers who usually sell out to private clients, restaurants, or under their own boutique labels.
Vinty negotiates access, protects the winemaker’s identity where needed, and bottles these wines under sleek, clean Vinty Collection labels, offering them directly to consumers at prices rarely seen for this level of quality.
It’s R300‑plus worth of wine for a third less. Not cheap wine. Not pretentious wine. Just honest bottles that drink well above their price.
Why It works for South Africans
In today’s economic climate, great wine has to earn its keep. South African wine drinkers are discerning, loyal, and value-driven. They don’t need flash, they want heart. That’s exactly what The Vinty Collection delivers: authentic, premium wines that feel like a find.
Each bottle is an invitation to discover, crafted by the hands that know their soil, and offered with the transparency and soul that Vinty is known for.
Explore the collection
Available exclusively at vinty.co.za, each new batch of The Vinty Collection includes tasting notes, food pairings, and stories from the vineyard. Vinty’s “Plain Janes” ethos lives on and takes a step up with The Vinty Collection: clean packaging, warm storytelling, and prices that let the wine do the talking.
About Vinty
Vinty is The Wine Trader’s digital wine concierge – making the journey of wine discovery feel natural, exciting, and always worth another sip. Based in Stellenbosch, we source thoughtfully, label elegantly, and tell the real story in every bottle.