From Vine to Wine, Discovery a Terroir Unlike Any Other
PLATTEKLIP VINEYARS ARE BASED ON THE PIKETBERG MOUNTIANS, ABOUT 2 HOURS NORTH OF CAPE TOWN, IN THE NORTHEN PART OF THE SWARTLAND WINE REGION.
SITTING BETWEEN 650-780M ABOVE SEA LEVEL, THIS GIVES YOU A PICTURE PERFECT VIEW OVER MOST OF THE CAPE WINELANDS, THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND THE MAGNIFICENT TABLE MOUNTIAN.
A Terroir of Unique Tales
THE PIKET-BO-BERG WARD IS THE HIGHEST VINEYARDS IN THE SWARTLAND AND ALSO THE HIGHEST VINEYARDS IN SOUTH AFRICA WITH A PROXIMITY TO THE ATLANTIC OCEAN.
( 650-780M ALTITUDE AND 38KM FROM THE ATLANTIC OCEAN) WITH SANDSTONE BEING THE “MOTHER ROCK OR BED ROCK” OF THE MOUNTAIN, THE DIVERSITY LIES IN THE TOP SOIL AND WE BELIEVE MOST OF THE “TERROIR” OR AT LEAST THE SOIL COMPONAND OF TERROIR, LIES WITHIN THE FIRST 40-60CM OF THE SOIL THAT SAID, IN A COMBINATION WITH ALTITUDE,ASPECT AND SOLAR RADIATION, WE FOUNDED 9 DISTINCTIVE MICRO CLIMATES ON THE FARM, RANGING FROM WARM NORTH FACING SLOPES TO COOL,WINDY SOUTH FACING SLOPES, GIVING US THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRODUCE A VARIETY OF GRAPE CULTIVARS ON ONE PROPERTY.
WITH WARM DAYS BETWEEN 28-32 DEGREES CELSIUS IN MID SUMMER, WE GET ENOUGH SUNLIGHT TO FULLY RIPEN OUR GRAPES, WE CALL IT “SUN KISSED” GRAPES, BUT AT NIGHT THE TEMPERATURES CAN DROP WITH AS MUCH AS 20 DEGREES, GIVING US COOL NIGHTS AND ENOUGH TIME FOR THE GRAPE VINES TO REST AND RECOVER FOR THE NEXT DAY THIS LEADS TO LOW PH AND HIGH ACID, THAT FOR US IS KEY IN NATURAL WINE MAKING. BIG DIAGNUAL SHIFTS IN TEMPERATURE , ICY COLD WINTERS, WINDY SUMMERS, KOFFIEKLIP OR “FERRICETE” TOP SOIL BEING OUR CHAMPION TOP SOIL AND THEN THE LOVE FOR THE LAND AND THE PEOPLE THAT WORKS AND LIVE HERE , ALL OF THAT IS WHAT WE SEE AS OUR OWN UNIQUE TERROIR!
Meet Johan Herman Meyer (a.k.a. ‘Stompie’)
JOHAN GREW UP ON A DAIRY FARM IN THE GARDEN ROUTE REGION OF SOUTH AFRICA, THE SOUTH EASTERN PART OF THE WESTERN CAPE.
COMING FROM THAT REGION WHERE WINE WAS NEVER PRESENT OR AT LEAST NO GRAPE VINES WAS FARMED, HE ONLY DISCOVERED THE WINE INDUSTRY WHEN HE WAS ATTENDING ELSENDBURG COLLEGE IN STELLENBOSCH AND QUICKLY REALIZED THAT A GLASS OF WINE TASTE MUCH BETTER
THAN A GLASS OF MILK!!
HAVING GROWN UP ON A FARM, FARMING WAS NATURALLY FLOWING THROUGH HIS BLOOD AND WITH HIS PASSION FOR THAT, DISCOVERED THAT YOU CAN ACTUALLY FARM GRAPES AND THEN ADD VALUE AND ART TO THE FINAL PRODUCT, WINE.
WITH THAT AS HIS DRIVING FORCE HE FINISHED HIS STUDIES AT ELSENBURG AND GOT ON A PLANE WITH THE MISSION TO DISCOVER THE WORLD OF WINE FORM GRAPE TO BOTTLE.
AFTER DOING THAT FOR 5 YEARS HE CAME BACK TO HOME SOIL, TO PURSUE HIS PASSION FOR VINEYARDS AND STARTED HIS OWN WINE BRAND IN 2009, FOCUSING ON COOL CLIMATE GRAPE VARIETIES, PINOT NOIR AND CHARDONNAY.
THAT WAS WHERE THE INSPIRATION FOR FARMING COOL CLIMATE VARIETIES CAME FROM AND THE MAIN REASON FOR MOVING TO THE PIKET-BO-BERG TODAY HE LIVES THAT DREAM THAT STARTED 21 YEARS AGO WHEN HE FIRST LAID EYES ON THE
MAGNIFICENT PLANT CALLED THE GRAPE VINE!!
We Handcraft Minimal Intervention Wines
PLATTEKLIP VINEYARS ARE BASED ON THE PIKETBERG MOUNTIANS, ABOUT 2 HOURS NORTH OF CAPE TOWN, IN THE NORTHEN PART OF THE SWARTLAND WINE REGION.
SITTING BETWEEN 650-780M ABOVE SEA LEVEL, THIS GIVES YOU A PICTURE PERFECT VIEW OVER MOST OF THE CAPE WINELANDS, THE ATLANTIC OCEAN AND THE MAGNIFICENT TABLE MOUNTIAN.