The Story — A Swartland Winemaker to Watch
We can’t put a name on the label, but we can tell you this: the winemaker behind City by Dawn is André Bruyns — an artisan whose parcels have quietly attracted the attention of South African wine critics like Christian Eedes and Tim Atkin. He works with small parcels of exceptional Swartland fruit, crafting wines that punch well above their anonymous price point.
City by Dawn is the white companion to City by Dusk — both wines from the same winemaker, same vintage, same uncompromising approach. Buy one, and you’ll want the other.
Vintage & Terroir — Swartland, 2021
The Swartland is South Africa’s great terroir frontier — an arid, wind-swept district north of Cape Town where ancient schist and granite soils push vines to their limits. André Bruyns works with selected parcels from this district, where cool Atlantic breezes temper the summer heat and allow for exceptional ripeness without sacrificing freshness. The 2021 vintage delivered a long, even ripening season that preserved acidity while building complexity in the fruit.
In the Cellar
André Bruyns favours minimal intervention — gentle pressing, cool fermentation to preserve aromatic freshness, and careful maturation to build texture without masking the wine’s natural mineral character. The white blend is handled with care and bottled at exactly the right moment.
Tasting Notes
Look: Bright, pale straw with a green hue — vibrant and inviting in the glass.
Nose: Vibrant aromas of white peach, citrus blossom, and a delicate hint of wet stone. There’s a freshness that speaks directly to the Swartland’s Atlantic-influenced terroir.
Palate: A beautifully textured palate balancing crisp orchard fruit with a savoury, mineral thread. Refreshing but complex — the kind of white wine that holds your attention through the whole glass.
Finish: Long and clean, with lingering citrus and a subtle chalky minerality. A serious white wine dressed in an anonymous bottle.
Food Pairing
City by Dawn is a natural partner for the South African table. Try it with grilled yellowtail or snoek, a creamy chicken pie, Cape Malay fish curry, or simply alongside a fresh seafood platter. The wine’s mineral precision cuts through rich sauces beautifully.
Technical Details
- Variety: White Blend (classic Swartland varieties)
- Vintage: 2021
- Region: Swartland, Western Cape
- Winemaker: André Bruyns
- Available as: Individual bottle (750ml) or as part of the City Dawn to Dusk 12-bottle combo
Our Guarantee
Every XCellar Limited Edition bottle comes with our 100% happiness guarantee. If this wine isn’t exactly what you were hoping for, let us know and we’ll make it right — no questions asked. That’s the XCellar promise.
