Since the Gaiduk family purchased the property in 2012, this 200-hectare estate on the western slopes of the Simonsberg Mountain has enjoyed a remarkable renaissance. Vineyards have been rejuvenated, new cultivars planted, and cellar technology upgraded.
“The philosophy of Quoin Rock is to cement our position as one of the leading wineries in South Africa,” explains Denis Gaiduk, Managing Director of Quoin Rock. “Whether it’s our still wine or Méthode Cap Classique, there is an absolute focus on quality.”
And that shines through in the estate’s flagship release, the Quoin Rock Red Blend 2015.
Built on a foundation of Cabernet Sauvignon (66%), this Bordeaux-style red blend combines with Cabernet Franc (19%) and Merlot (15%) to deliver a wine that is punchy and fruit forward, with a luscious combination of dark berries, leather, cassis and cranberry notes on the palate.
“I believe all the elements of the wine need to be in harmony, and for me our red wines are a perfect combination of Old and New World styles,” says winemaker Jacques Maree. “There’s real power in the wines, but they still have natural elegance. ”
That is largely thanks to the farm’s remarkable terroir. With deep soils of clay and decomposed granite, blending water retention and drainage with minerality, “these are some of the best slopes in the country for growing Bordeaux varietals,” adds viticulturist Nico Walters. “It is ideal terroir for Cabernet.”
Maree is passionate about translating that unique terroir into the bottle, and maintains a hands-off approach in the cellar.
“We want to be as true to our terroir as possible,” says Maree. “We have a particular style of wine that we want to produce, but that process begins in the vineyard. It’s about respecting the terroir and what the vineyards give us.”
A meticulous approach in both the vineyards and cellar meant that harvesting in the 2015 vintage was extremely selective, with only the best rows and blocks set aside for making the Quoin Rock Red Blend.
After harvest the grapes were destemmed and crushed directly into open-top fermentation tanks. After a week of fermentation – with punch-downs five times per day to improve extraction of colour, flavour and tannin – the wine underwent malolactic fermentation before racking into a combination of first-fill and older barrels. During barrel maturation the wine was regularly racked and returned, ensuring aeration of the wine and improving tannin development.
After 20 months in barrel, the winemaking team sat down to craft the final blend, assembling the building blocks of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot to create a complex wine expressive of the Quoin Rock terroir.
“2015 was a big vintage, and this wine is big and chunky, with firm tannin structure,” adds Maree. “Along with staying true to terroir, we also want to stay true to the vintage, and 2015 is certainly one of the best vintages to date.”
The Quoin Rock Red Blend 2015 is available from the tasting room, and selected wine retailers. Cellar door price: R600.
Quoin Rock is situated on the Knorhoek Road, seven kilometres outside Stellenbosch. Wine tastings of the complete Quoin Rock and Namysto ranges are offered daily in the elegant Quoin Rock Wine Lounge. Tastings are priced from R350 per person, and bookings are advisable. For more information, visit www.quoinrock.co.za, or call 021 888 4740.