MOTHER ROCK

PAST WINES

2016 FORCE MAJEURE RED BLEND

This cuvée is a blend of Syrah and Pinotage, with a small smattering of Grenache, Carignan, Cinsault, and Mourvèdre for balance and complexity. All the fruit for this project comes from the Swartland, ranging from Malmesbury, too Riebeek Kasteel and Paardeberg Mountain. The vineyards are dry farmed without synthetic chemicals. The grapes are all whole-cluster fermented in open-top vats. The wine is then aged for nine months in stainless steel to retain freshness. It is unfined and unfiltered.

2018 FORCE MAJEURE SEMILLON

This wine is made from a single vineyard planted in 1997 on Paardeberg Mountain at the Southern end of Swartland. It is dry-farmed, and Johannes has worked to convert it to organic viticulture. Most of the grapes were direct pressed into stainless steel after a quick pre-fermentation oxidation of the juice. The rest was fermented on skins as whole-clusters for two weeks. I small portion of the wine was aged in 300L barrel to add complexity. It is bottled unfined and unfiltered.

2017 MOTHER ROCK WHITE

Chenin Blanc (planted on granite, koffieklip, and schist soils) and Viognier (planted on decomposed granite and clay) are the dominant components of this wine. Grenache Blanc, Semillon, and Harslevelu make up the remainder. Winemaking techniques used for this wine are rather complex. Half the juice was fermented at cold temperatures in stainless steel. Some of the wine was fermented on skins for a full month before being pressed off into neutral 500l barrel. After a year on gross lees the wine is racked and bottled without fining nor filtration.

2017 MOTHER ROCK CHENIN BLANC

The Chenin Blanc vines used for this cuvée were planted in 1973. They are dry farmed on a combination of granite, koffieklip, and schist soils, just outside of Malmesbury. The grapes were whole-cluster pressed into concrete egg where they underwent a reductive fermentation. After several months of elevage, the wine is racked and bottled without fining nor filtration. 12.5% ABV

2017-19 MOTHER ROCK LIQUID SKIN

The Chenin Blanc vines used for this cuvée were planted in 1973. They are dry farmed on a combination of granite, koffieklip, and schist soils, just outside of Malmesbury. The grapes are fermented as whole-clusters for two weeks before they see an additional seven weeks of post fermentation maceration. Élevage is done in old neutral oak for nearly a year before the wine is racked and bottled without fining or filtration.

2017 JH MEYER PALMEIT CHARDONNAY

Elgin is located east of Cape Town. It’s high elevation, proximity to the coast. cloud-cover, and increased precipitation makes this one of South Africa’s coolest sub-regions. The organic grapes are harvested early in the morning to avoid afternoon heat. Two thirds of the grapes are whole cluster pressed while the other third is fermented on skins for about a week. Élevage is done in neutral oak barrels for ten months before bottling without fining nor filtration. 12.5% ABV