WINEMAKER’S NOTES: Rudiger Gretschel

High above the world, where the Piekenierskloof plateau stretches toward the northern edge of the Swartland, old Garnacha vines cling to the rugged earth. Here, over 600 meters above the sea and just 80 kilometers from the cold breath of the Atlantic, the land is both merciless and magnificent — dry, windswept, and sunlit by day, softened by mists that drift inland at dusk. These are conditions that test the vine and, in doing so, reveal its soul. It is no wonder that the Piekenierskloof cradles some of South Africa’s oldest Garnacha — vines of resilience and quiet wisdom. The grapes are gathered gently by hand, half laid whole into concrete, then foot-crushed in the traditional way. The remaining clusters are destemmed over them, creating layers of texture and natural rhythm. Fermentation begins of its own accord, guided not by cultivated yeasts, but by the living energy of the vineyard itself. Once the first transformation is complete, the wine rests through malolactic fermentation, achieving balance and calm. To preserve its purity — the brightness of fruit and the breath of the highland winds — it matures in a combination of 2500l Foudre, Cement tank and Clay Amphora lending depth to the melody.