Quoin Rock Winery

Quoin Rock is a new South African winery created in 1998 following the sale of a vineyard and farm known as Knorhoek Estate. Virtually the whole vineyard was re-planted on slopes ranging from 100-550 metres above sea-level right by the Simonsberg Mountain in Stellenbosch. In this location the vines benefit from cooling breezes which create a long ripening season particularly suited to fine wine production. The first vintage under the new regime was 2001. Quoin Rock also owns and manages a property in the Cape Agulhas region, the southernmost part of South Africa. Here the influence of the ocean creates cool, humid conditions particularly suited to the growing of white varietals such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay, while Merlot also performs very well here. The winemaking is as natural as possible, with wild yeasts used and no acidification or chaptalisation permitted. Fining and filtration are kept to a minimum.