Reyneke

With multiple certifications, including Demeter and Ceres, Reyneke is committed to organic and biodynamic farming without using herbicides, pesticides or fungicides. Channeling ancient wisdom by listening to the natural order of life, the viticulture team opts for live ducks over chemical sprays in the event of vineyard snails, a common vector for bud and canopy damage. Regarding weeds and cover crops, rather than trying to get rid of weeds they don’t want, Reyneke proactively seeds in their vineyards to promote vine health, naturally outcompeting weeds and keeping mealybug away from vine roots. Using biodynamic preparations, compost tea is applied directly to their vineyards, boosting organic biodiversity in their soil and vineyards. Their annual calendar for planting, pruning and harvesting all follow the celestial cycle, syncing with Mother Nature and harmonizing as one, allowing vines to grow the highest quality grapes possible without the use of harmful chemicals. The team also has its own composting area to incorporate back into the vineyards. Johan Reyneke has a deep respect for all living things, and organics and biodynamics are part of that equation. His understanding of biodynamics has allowed Reyneke to take a conventionally farmed vineyard and transform the soil using biodynamic practices to producing healthier vines that produced more grapes per acre. Their belief that plants and animals need one another resonates with their day-to-day practices with livestock. This symbiotic relationship between plants and animals aids in the pollination of plants and fertilization of the soil from which the plants spring. Through the lens of biodynamic practices and incorporating the wholistic picture, Reyneke exemplifies the biodynamic farm, which allows the team to create truly remarkable wines with varietal purity, mineral tension and a certain transcendence that exudes a sense of place.

Initially, owner Johan Reyneke’s focus was on organic and biodynamic practices to promote vine health and create the best-quality wines without damaging the land. Later, Reyneke added a special endeavor called the Cornerstone Project, where the proceeds from their Cornerstone Red Blend (labeled Capstone for the American market) went to aiding farmworkers and their families, assisting with housing, educational and retirement expenses. As Reyneke said, “Nil Magnum Nisi Bonum,” which loosely translates as, “There can be no greatness without goodness.” His working knowledge of terroir, biodynamic farming and premium winemaking makes him one of the few who harmonize with nature while growing and crafting top-quality wines. Johan Reyneke and winemaker Nuschka de Vos offer four tiers of wines with their ranges of Reserve, Biodynamic, Organic and Vinehugger, created from their organic and biodynamic vineyards in Stellenbosch. The wines show a lovely mineral tension and freshness that make for an utterly enjoyable drinking experience. Besides making delicious wines and being good to the earth, the thoughtfulness extends far beyond viticulture and viniculture and overflows into the socio-economic impacts that challenge South Africa by helping farmers and employees attain the opportunities and skills to be successful. Reyneke’s visionary and holistic philosophies stand as a symbol for South Africa as a way forward, together.