Mother Rock
Brutal! Chenin Blanc 2021
Johan was the first South African producer to receive the invite to the exclusive ‘Brutal!’ club of winemakers. Brutal! started from a conversation three winemakers had a few years back (two are Catalan and one is French). The two Catalans, Laureano Serras and Joan Ramon Escoda exclaimed when tasting one of Anthony Tortul’s wines that it was ‘Brutal!’ or as Americans would say ‘dope/kick ass.’ Anthony didn’t get the reference and thought they were saying the wine was garbage. So he made a quick makeshift label with ‘Brutal!’ handwritten and the rest is history. Today ‘Brutal!’ is very much part of the ‘natural’ or ‘raw’ wine movement. The only requirements are that it’s ‘zero/zero’, meaning nothing added and nothing taken out. It also signifies the wine that is an experiment. Johan Meyer a.k.a. Stompie puts his mark on this 100% Chenin Blanc version from a vineyard site near Malmesbury in the Swartland. It joins the vault of ‘Brutal!’ wines made by natural-wine pundits.
Other Wines by this Producer
White
Johan is a playful, anything-but-by-the-book winemaker, and this white blend certainly reflects that ethos. A blend of four white grapes, including 25% Viognier, this wine is perfumed and expressive of its warmer climate upbringing.
Liquid Skin Chenin Blanc
The bush vine vineyard was planted in 1984, and has been dry farmed since its planting. As of 2014 the vineyard has been farmed fully organically with no chemicals sprayed on the vines and soil. Native fermentation, 100% whole-bunch, 10 days of pigeage, 12 months in 16hL concrete egg
Force Celeste Cinsault
This block was planted in 1990 on decomposed granite and ironstone soils in the Malmesbury region. It has been organically dry-farmed since 2014. Native fermentation, 100% whole-bunch pressed to old 500L French puncheon, 6 months neutral 500L French puncheon
Force Celeste Sémillon
These old bush vines were planted in 1983 on decomposed granite and dry farmed since its initial planting, with a more recent block being planted in 2005. 100% Chenin Blanc, Native fermentation, 7 months in stainless-steel
Force Celeste Chenin Blanc
These old bush vines were planted in 1983 on decomposed granite and dry farmed since its initial planting, with a more recent block being planted in 2005. 100% Chenin Blanc, Native fermentation, 7 months in stainless-steel
Force Celeste Pet-Nat Rose
Swartland
All the grapes are grown organically in the Malmesbury region where the soils are mostly decomposed granite with Malmesbury shale. 70% Pinotage, 30% Chenin Blanc, Native fermentation, neutral French tonneau, 5 months in bottle before release
