The entrance is at the highest point of Helshoogte Pass, 387 metres up. From the upper slopes of the Simonsberg the view runs across the Banghoek Valley to False Bay and Table Mountain. Tokara concentrates on Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, bottled in the Premium, Reserve and Directors Reserve ranges. The estate also presses olive oil.
- bought by the Ferreira family
- 1994
- top of Helshoogte Pass at the entrance
- 387 m
- restaurant opened
- 2001
- produced on the estate alongside wine
- olive oil
GT and Anne-Marie Ferreira bought the land in 1994 and built the name from their children's first names, Thomas and Kara. Sources differ on when the wine began: Tokara gives 1996 for the first Cabernet vines, another source gives 1999 for the decision to grow grapes. The restaurant opened in October 2001, and Carolize Coetzee now runs the kitchen. There is also a delicatessen that welcomes children, an art gallery in the cellar and a sculpture garden.
Our tipYou can book a tasting in advance by emailing winelounge@tokara.com (as of September 2026). Leave time for the sculpture garden before you drive on over the pass.
Tokara: frequently asked questions
Where does the name Tokara come from?
Tokara combines the first names Thomas and Kara, the children of GT and Anne-Marie Ferreira. The couple bought the land on Helshoogte Pass near Stellenbosch in 1994.
Can you eat at Tokara with children?
Besides its restaurant, Tokara has a delicatessen that the estate describes as child-friendly. There is also a sculpture garden and a gallery in the cellar.
Which wines does Tokara make?
Tokara focuses on Cabernet Sauvignon and Sauvignon Blanc, bottled in the Premium, Reserve and Directors Reserve ranges. The estate also produces olive oil.