About us
First of all,
wine is made for conversations.
Nico Walters
Viticulturist
RESPECT
THE TERROIR
extraordinary identity
Climbing the foothills of the Simonsberg Mountain, and as part of the greater Simonsberg Conservancy, Quoin Rock’s vineyards are a masterclass in precision viticulture. With views of False Bay, the vines are rooted on the weathered face of the mountain, which provides the ancient crumbling soils of decomposed granite, hutton and clay.
The climate is predominantly Mediterranean, characterised by wet winters and dry, warm summers. The estate benefits from the cool breezes that blow in from the nearby Atlantic Ocean, allowing the grapes to ripen slowly and evenly. This combined with the predominantly westerly facing angle of the slopes, means the vines take advantage of the afternoon sun as well as extended sunshine hours in the summer providing optimal conditions for the ripening of Bordeaux varieties as well as Shiraz.
These conditions align for Simonsberg typicity; the cool of the unencumbered ocean breezes and marginal soils create a keen, balancing tension in young wines. Over time this evolves into a certain finesse characterised by a unique flavour profile that is neither too austere nor too robust; perfectly pitched in the red and black fruit spectrum offset by a granitic freshness.
Precision Wines
Noble whites grapes Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay benefit from these conditions too with steely skeletons fleshed out with fully-ripened fruit. In fact the oldest block on the farm is Sauvignon planted in 1983, and is used exclusively for dessert wine, the Vine-Dried Sauvignon Blanc.
The rest of the white wine portfolio makes use of grapes grown on Boskloof farm in Agulhas, a 3000-hectare nature conservancy with just 10-hectares of vines, comprised of Sauvignon, Semillon and Chardonnay. The Chardonnay is used exclusively for the Black Series Cap Classique.
At Quoin Rock an intensive high density replanting programme took place in 2014. Precision viticulture technology was used to identify micro-pockets at divergent temperatures and elevations. These are carefully managed with a variety of suitable clones to provide different building blocks for inter-vineyard blending, a way to bring complexity to both single varietal bottlings as well as blends.
Viticulturist Nico Walters describes the approach as ‘an orchestra rather than a single instrument’. Vineyard management is a meticulous process with a philosophy of sustainable, regenerative practices with a focus on soil health, light interception and water preservation.
A Fine Dining Riddle
At Gåte, you can expect a modern, light, and cosy interior that overlooks the stunning Simonsberg, adding to the restaurant's charm and sophistication. You can also expect impeccable service from the staff, whose friendly attentiveness makes this restaurant a place that one must return to again and again.
Chef Paul crafts a modern and elegant menu that reflects South African memories and cuisine.
From the bread and butter course with 'Marmite' butter and boegoe-infused balsamic vinegar to the 'oopsie' pork belly canape, the Sunday roast, and the chakalaka bouillabaisse, South Africans will be reminded of their heritage. At the same time, international guests can relish the taste of South African ingredients.
heritage vineyards
This heritage farm is named for Stellenbosch’s historic Knorhoek Valley, a natural amphitheatre enclosed in mountain folds. The vines ramble across the foothills of the Simonsberg and are surrounded by the Conservancy. The abundant fynbos corridors play host to a multitude of fauna, including bucks, dassies as well as natural predators which synergistically keeps pests at bay.
Steeped in history, Knorhoek Wine Farm celebrates this through its unique terroir and venerable plantings with a focus on old vine Chenin Blanc and traditional Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon. The position of the farm allows for unrestricted ocean breezes from the Atlantic while the mountain slopes provide well-drained soils of decomposed granite, forcing vine roots to dig deep to find water and thereby concentrating energy reserves to the grape bunches.
A key advantage of the terroir is the mix of slope aspects, which are angled in all directions. One such site is the certified old vine block planted in 1980, which has been nicknamed ‘The Gallery’ by viticulturist Nico Walters, ‘as each vine is a work of art’.
Similarly, there are many old Sauvignon vines, easy to spot with their elongated cordons, fondly referred to as ‘langarms’. In the vineyard minimum interventionist philosophies follow sustainable and regenerative practices. This approach preserves the integrity of its terroir and through it the continuation of the farm’s remarkable heritage.
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