Mother Rock new releases

Momentous times. The first wines bearing a “W.O. Piket-Bo-Berg” designation have been released. Johan Meyer acquired virgin land at the top of the Piketberg in the northern part of the Swartland in 2016 subsequently establishing Platteklip Vineyards. Convinced that growing conditions were sufficiently different from the rest of the district, he applied for, and was granted, the demarcation of a new ward and he has now released his first wines from own grapes. Tasting notes and ratings for his new releases as follows:

Liquid Skin Chenin Blanc 2024
Price: R255
From a Paardeberg vineyard planted in 1984. Made with the cap submerged for five months. Orange, pineapple, potpourri, fynbos and ginger on the nose. The palate is relatively lean with fresh acidity and some firm grip to the finish. Alc: 13%.

CE’s rating: 93/100.

Platteklip Paying the School Fees White 2023
Price: R330
39% Sauvignon Blanc, 23% Chardonnay, 23% Grenache Blanc, 15% Chenin Blanc. Skin macerated, matured for 22 months (“two winters”) in barrel. Exotic aromatics of citrus, peach, potpourri, herbs and spice plus some waxy, leesy notes. The palate has dense fruit and punchy acidity before an intensely savoury finish. There’s no shortage of concentration here but the wine has a thrilling tension about it, even so. Alc: 12.8%.

CE’s rating: 95/100.

Brutal! Red 2024
Price: R255
Made according to the tenets of the Brutal! movement that began in Catalonia – wines to be made on an experimental basis, one per harvest, and no added sulphites. This vintage is Pinot Noir topped with Cinsault and entirely fun-filled. The nose shows an intensely floral note as well as red berries and Rooibos tea while the palate is light and fresh with a savoury finish.

CE’s rating: 90/100.

Cuvée Carbonic Pinot Noir 2024
Price: R255
Grapes from Elgin. Carbonic maceration used to achieve elegance of extraction. Matured for 11 months in concrete diamonds. The nose is very primary at this stage with notes of raspberry, strawberry, pomegranate and earth. The palate is light and fresh with fine tannins, the finish savoury. Fruit to the fore – not massively structured. Alc: 13.5%.

CE’s rating: 91/100.

Platteklip The Building Blocks 2023
Price: R330
53% Grenache, 31% Pinot Noir, 16% Mourvèdre. Mostly whole-bunch fermented. Red and black berries, musk and herbs on the nose. The palate is medium bodied with excellent clarity of fruit, lemon-like acidity and tightly packed tannins, the finish wonderfully dry. Alc: 13%.

CE’s rating: 94/100.

Check out our South African wine ratings database.