How we Started

 

Our family patriarch, Nicholas Yiannakis (our grandfather) was born and raised on the Greek island of Lemnos. Like many men his age, at the time of the great depression.

He left in search of a better life and for reasons lost to time, he eventually settled in Nyasaland (now Malawi) and began farming.

Our father Com Yiannakis, honed his skills under the excellent tutelage of his father and in turn began his own Odyssey, which culminated in the purchase of ‘Felicia Farm” in Stellenbosch in 1999.

Since then we have consistently improved our vineyards and are now producing grapes for some of the most prestigious Estates in Stellenbosch.

Passion

 

Sadly, our father passed away in 2015 – the same year we selected to produce our very first commercial vintage.

2015 will therefore always be remembered as a bittersweet time for our family.

The launch of ONOMA wines has – as a result, become a passion project and an opportunity to honor our father’s legacy. When selecting a bottle of ONOMA PRIVATE CELLAR – you may be assured that only our finest crop has been reserved for our private cellar release.

ONOMA is committed to produce a limited boutique release of no more than 850 cases per varietal and only perfect vintages will be considered for harvest.

Our mission statement: “Your name is your honor” is evident in all that we do, from our viticulture to our wine-making – our focus remains on quality.  Onoma is a Greek word meaning “of repute”. As we are the only Greek wine farmers in the region, we felt compelled to develop our wine in a “classic” style.

Craftsmanship

 

Our classic style draws on our Greek heritage, we aim to produce timeless “un-fussy” wines of uncompromising quality that we would like to think wouldn’t be out of place if they were to be found in an amphora on the Parthenon in ancient Greece!

We are privileged to be in an industry that affords both the producer and consumer immense joy.

I have a great sense of pride in producing a product with ancient origins and nothing is more satisfying that nurturing a fruit from grape to bottle and appreciating it evermore as it matures.

 

 

Named one of Tim Atkin’s Rising Star of the Year nominees in 2025, Angus Paul has made a mark upon the South African wine scene in a very short space of time, focusing on heritage South African varietals, with a minimalist approach in the cellar for his brand, Angus Paul Wines.

His previous experience includes harvests at esteemed wineries Mullineux & Leeu, Alheit Vineyards and Reyneke, along side international harvests at Diwald, Burn Cottage, COS & Williams Selyem. He brings knowledge from these world class wineries to the work he does at Onoma & Angus Paul.

Angus Paul always seeks to achieve transparency in his wines, favouring site over winemaking manipulation. Grapes are front and center in Onoma wines, with only minimal sulphites added. Thus providing a window to look into the heart and soul of the vineyard.