Reyneke Wines

Reyneke - biodynamic wine with a view

When the Reyneke farm was founded in 1863 as "Uitzicht", there were neither chemicals nor technological innovations. Only the land and nature. Uitzicht (Dutch for "view") towers over Stellenbosch and False Bay. It has slopes facing north, east and south. The best land is planted to vines, and the rest complements the vineyards with pasture, compost making and wilderness.

This kind of balance is far more important than balancing spreadsheets. And it's the true time-honored tradition of winemaking. A biodynamic farm is often thought of as an "individuality." It must be self-sustaining and self-sustaining. This is important for two reasons: first, to reduce the CO₂ footprint, and second, to be less influenced by market forces. If the farm can produce its own fertilizer and compost, it is less dependent on fertilizer shipments in diesel exhaust clouds. If the farm is self-sufficient, its own cow manure costs the same every day, regardless of the price of oil.

This realization is just the tip of a harmonious iceberg. Reyneke's philosophy of "waste not, want not" goes deep into sustainability: reuse, repurpose or recycle are integral parts of the work at Reyneke. Even a seemingly small decision like whether to throw paper in the office recycling bin, Reyneke prefers to shred and feed to the earthworm farm, which then feeds the vineyards with its vermi-compost. This holistic approach to farming requires moving away from monoculture. Although the vineyards are the mainstay of the Reyneke farm, they exist in synergy with the vegetable gardens, animal husbandry and people.

Biodynamic agriculture is the core philosophy: at Reyneke Farm they try never to lose sight of this, putting people first, naming cows instead of numbering them, and even studying weeds (instead of just pulling them out) to learn why they are there.

Biodynamic work in the Reyneke vineyard

Reyneke vineyards are free of herbicides, pesticides and fungicides, as any organic vineyard should be. Instead of spraying weeds with poison, they carefully select companion plants and grow them between the vines to suppress the weeds. These companion plants have the ability to fix nitrogen from the atmosphere, break up compacted soil, or even harbor a beneficial insect or two. While all kinds of poisons are normally used to control pests, simply expose their natural enemies like ducks - there's nothing better for a duck than a good juicy slug. No poison seeping into the grapes. No expensive fertilizer, because the ducks take care of that.

Reyneke Farm is independently Demeter certified, which transparently states that Reyneke practices the methods advertised. By allowing the "weed" dandelion to grow, they ensure that the measly mealybug feeds on the roots, not the vines. Instead of systemic fungicides, very limited amounts of natural fungicides such as copper and sulfur are used, and Reyneke is even trying to eliminate the use of these natural fungicides. It is hoped that they will soon be completely replaced and only biological control agents such as Trichoderma (a fungus of the soil fauna) will be used. Biodynamics sees itself as the next, higher level of organic farming. Special biodynamic preparations are mixed with the compost and applied directly to the vineyards. These preparations consist of specially formulated plant, mineral and organic substances that improve the soil while supporting plant and animal life. Some Reyneke uses in field sprays, while others are added to the compost pile in homeopathic amounts.

Planting, pruning, harvesting and general practices in the vineyard are also done in the rhythm of nature. Reyneke work with natural and cosmic cycles, rhythms and forces that regulate all life on earth to create a harmonious whole. So basically, as in ancient times, they work by the moon and study the constellations as they move, rather than using digital readouts.

As in the vineyard, so in the cellar

The philosophy of minimal intervention with nature continues in the cellar. Basically, it's about transporting the character of the terroir into the wine. The basic idea is to find the perfect piece of land with the right climate and from the grapes that ripen there to create a wine that is a reflection of this patch of earth. Accordingly, any addition that is not urgent would distort the character. Reyneke sees itself more as a helper, guiding the wine to its goal, than pressing it into a mold. Thus, only natural yeasts are used, no bacteria are added, acidity is adjusted or fermentation aids are used. The wine is meant to emerge from its natural resources themselves.

The portfolio of Reyneke

Reyneke offers 3 different wine lines:

• Reserve
• Biodynamic
• Organic

The Organic wines are the base level, vinified from grapes grown in lower altitude vineyards and are mainly fruity in character. The Biodynamic wines offer a stronger terroir character and come from vineyards that are fully Demeter certified and have soils of weathered granite. Finally, the Reserve wines are the jewels of the portfolio, produced only in outstanding vintages. The grape material comes from Reyneke's best plots. All of Reyneke's wines are vegan.