Brocha One Man Band 2022

After an informal dinner at Noop in Paarl during evaluations for this year’s Investec Trophy Wine Show, a few of my fellow local judges and I took it upon ourselves to show two of our international counterparts – Heidi Mäkinen MW and Kenichi Ohashi MW – a selection of local Syrahs, hoping to illustrate why so many of us find the category so compelling.

To begin, we opened Sons of Sugarland 2023, Rall Ava 2021 and Leeuwenkuil Heritage 2019. Spirits were high and the conversation flowed easily, so I suggested adding a bottle of Boschkoof Epilogue. Ohashi, however, intervened. While an admirer of the wine, he knew it well and wondered whether I might choose something he had not tasted before. I opted instead for Solace 2021 from Rozy Gunn’s Elgin property, Brocha, and there was general agreement that it easily held its own in such company.

After I posted the line-up on X, I received an invitation from Iona operations manager Rob MacDonald inviting me to re-look the 2022 (previously rating 95 in October last year – see here) as well as the same vintage of the red blend known as One Man Band.

Brocha operates as a sister farm to Iona, owned by Rozy’s husband Andrew. The two properties are not far apart but while Iona sits on top of a cool, elevated ridge Brocha is situated in a warmer, lower-lying valley location.

Rozy Gunn farms biodynamically. An artist by training, she says she’s interested in “seeing how little she can do” to elevate her wines to a different realm. “I want to make better wine, more thoughtful wine, more respectful of the land. I want to get to the point where the wine is not about the variety.”

Tasting the 2022 again, its intricacy and refinement are immediately apparent. It may match wines from other provenances in terms of sheer quality, but it is certainly less gnarly than some.

As for One Man Band, it’s always been a curious blend, the 2022 consisting of 63% Syrah, 24% Petit Verdot, 8% Mourvèdre and 4% Viognier, Gunn explaining that her primary intention is simply to make something inherently pleasurable. The 2022 (R360) is most appealing with notes of red and black berries, peach, flowers and herbs on the nose while the palate displays succulent fruit, bright acidity and fine tannins. Alc: 13.5%.

CE’s rating: 91 | Delicious

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