Reyneke Wines

Reyneke Wines exists because a philosophy student decided the soil mattered more than the balance sheet. Johan Reyneke studied environmental ethics at Stellenbosch University and in 1998 applied those principles to the family farm on the Polkadraai Hills, converting it to organic production -- a radical step in an industry still wedded to chemical farming. By 2008 Reyneke had become the first farm in South Africa to achieve biodynamic certification from Demeter International, the world's most widely acknowledged biodynamic accreditation body.

The original 40-hectare property, called Uitzicht, has since grown to 120 hectares with 80 hectares under vine following the purchase of a neighbouring farm. But expansion has not come at the expense of principle. Wildlife corridors thread through the vineyards, indigenous fynbos is preserved, and Nguni cattle roam the property, their dung composted into humus that feeds the soil naturally. Synthetic fertilisers, pesticides, and herbicides are banned; biodynamic preparations follow lunar and planetary cycles. The result is a farm where biodiversity and winemaking reinforce each other.

The winemaking team is led by Rudiger Gretschel, lead winemaker for the Vinimark group that partners with the estate, working alongside winemaker Barbara Melck. Together they produce four tiers: the Organic range as the accessible entry point, the Estate range of single-varietal Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc, the Biodynamic range showcasing the purest expression of the certified vineyards, and the Reserve range representing the pinnacle. Fermentation uses foudres, clay amphora, and concrete tanks, with maturation in various oak vessels.

Johan's commitment to social responsibility is embodied in the Cornerstone project, named after the Cornerstone wine, which channels profits into worker housing and education -- a recognition that the people who tend the vines are the foundation of the farm.

The wine portfolio is structured across four tiers. The Organic range provides an accessible entry point with Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and a red blend. The Estate range offers single-varietal Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Chenin Blanc, and Sauvignon Blanc -- priced between the Organic and Reserve levels. The Biodynamic range represents the purest expression of the Demeter-certified vineyards, with Syrah and Chenin Blanc that see minimal intervention. At the pinnacle, the Reserve Red and Reserve White are joined by the Cornerstone, the project wine whose profits fund worker empowerment.

Approximately eighty percent of production is exported, with distribution through Vineyard Brands in the United States. In 2025 Reyneke was awarded the Gyllene Glaset (Golden Glass) by Sweden's Allt om Mat publication, cementing its reputation as a world-class biodynamic producer. The tasting room on Old Polkadraai Road is open Monday to Friday from 10h00 to 16h00, offering visitors a chance to experience wines that are as much an expression of ecological philosophy as they are of Stellenbosch terroir.