Bonnievale Wines is named after our quaint town that was founded by the visionary Scotsman Christopher Forrest Rigg around the turn of the 19th century. Rigg saw potential in the then semi-arid valley on the banks of the Breede River and used most of his personal resources and all of his persuasive ability to sell the idea to like-minded pioneers and people seeking their fortune in the aftermath of the Gold Rush. He oversaw the construction of an irrigation canal that helped unlock the agricultural potential of the rich soils and still provides most of the town's water to this day.