Reyneke Wines
South Africa
About
Reyneke Wines is situated on the Polkadraai Hills in Stellenbosch. The Estate has been farmed biodynamically from 2000, but has been Demeter certified since 2006. An additional farm was acquired in 2016 which has pushed land under organic and biodynamic stewardship up to 80 hectares. The vineyards are all well layed out, exposed to the cool seabreeze in the hot Stellenbosch summers, which allows the temperature to drop in the evenings and grapes to slowly ripen. All decomposed granite soils.
Certifications
Winemaker
Barbara Melck
Rudiger Gretschel was working as the Senior Winemaker at Boekenhoutskloof when he started ‘moonlighting’ over weekends helping out Johan Reyneke prepping his wine to go into bottle as far back as 2004. In 2009 after working 8 years at Boekenhoutskloof, he became the Technical and Production Director for Wine Company Vinimark. This enabled him to become full time involved in making and overseeing the winemaking at Reyneke. It was the special granitic outcrop of the Polkadraai Hills, with the unique climate of the Reyneke vineyards with its close proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, together with the unconventional way of biodynamic farming, which Johan was practicing, which drew Rudiger to want to become part of the Reyneke team. These are some of the reasons he believes enables Reyneke to make some of South Africa’s most unique and site specific wines.
Viticulturist
Johan Reyneke
Johan Reyneke is the viticulturist at Reyneke Wines. He’s been doing so ever since the early 90’s and converted his first vineyard to biodynamics in 2000.
He loves what he is does and has a special place in his heart for old vines. Like older people, they require special care and have so much more to offer in return. In this crazy world where time and money is everything, an old vine offers solace, wisdom and ample time for reflection.
