Q&A with Johan Meyer of Mother Rock Wines
· 2 min read
Johan “Stompie” Meyer was raised on a dairy farm in George. After his studies at Elsenburg, he travelled abroad for five years before producing his first wine in South Africa in 2009. He has been making his unique style of wine in the Swartland since 2011.
Where do you farm?
We currently farm on Platteklip, the farm my wife Anri and I bought the land in 2017 and planted our first vineyards in 2019. We currently live here and have 10 hectares under vines.
You recently registered a new Swartland ward, Piket-Boberg. What was the motivation?
The Swartland is very large and diverse, and I believe that the wine should reflect the area. The fact that we have 650 m plus altitude and therefore have a completely different climate as well as a very unique soil, means it doesn’t make sense to lump it under the same “Swartland kam” … and besides, I like Chardonnay and Pinot Noir grapes.
What’s so special about this ward?
Cool climate and sandstone soil with large diagonal shift in temperatures. We have warm days and cold nights, so it’s continental but also close to the Atlantic, which gives us the cold air in the afternoon.
No other ward or wine of origin in the country lies both 35 km from the coast and 680 m above sea level! We’re officially the highest vineyards in the Swartland, but also the third highest in the country.
What is the philosophy behind your brand, Mother Rock?
Our philosophy is to farm organically and make wine that is honest, without all the chemistry that people may add. It’s basically “fermented grape juice”. In this way we can show the vintage and the terroir without manipulating the wines.
The name ‘Mother Rock’ comes from the soil. The rocks are what give us our unique profile, so through the way we make wine we want to reflect the soil in the wine.
The cellar is here on the farm, and we work mostly with concrete tanks to give the wine energy and purity, without influencing it through wood.
What are your plans for the next five years?
To show the world that you can make Pinot Noir in the Swartland!
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