Rock of Eye Chenin Blanc 2022

Coenie has selected Chenin blanc grapes that come from a single site on the slopes of the Simonsberg. These vines were planted in 1980. The goal of this wine is to capture a moment in the life of the vineyard in 2022 and to produce a Chenin that carries ripeness and richness whilst at the same time remaining elegant and refined.

The grapes were picked at two different ripeness levels in order to create differing layers of fruit flavours in the wine. The grapes are partially fermented in a concrete egg to preserve the fruit and give tension to the core and partially fermented in barrels with a touch of new oak to prolong the life of the wine and to add further complexity and layers to the Chenin fruit expression. The result is a delicious wine with complex layers of fruit and a light touch of oak. The wine reveals layered Chenin blanc flavours that will develop and evolve over time.

This wine drinks well now, however, will benefit with a few years of ageing.

Cinsault

Coenie Snyman is a South African winemaker and the founder of Rock of Eye. Born and raised in Stellenbosch, he has spent the better part of three decades honing his Rock of Eye in the local and international wine industry. A recipient of the 2009 Diners Club Winemaker of the Year award and a member of the Cape Winemakers Guild, Coenie founded Rock of Eye to create a portfolio of investment-grade wines that are true expressions of their – and his – distinct birthplace. Coenie’s passion for winemaking started at an early age, tagging along with his father who ministered to farm employees. He knew even then that he wanted to be part of this ageless industry. Coenie began by studying engineering at Stellenbosch University with the aim of building wine cellars, but when he realized he could study winemaking itself, he switched courses. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in viticulture and oenology in 1994 and an Honours degree in oenology in 2000. Early influences on his winemaking style came when he was harvesting on wine farms in California, USA. There he came into contact with the South African wine stalwarts whom he still considers his mentors: Martin Meinert of Vergelegen and Chris Keet of Cordoba and viticulturalist, Mathew Castle. It was as winemaker at Rust en Vrede that Coenie produced the 2007 single varietal cabernet which won him the 2009 Diner’s Club Winemaker of the Year award and led to his membership of the illustrious Cape Winemakers Guild. Inspired to create his very own wines, Coenie has come full circle with his cabernet sauvignon maturing in the cellar to complement the Chenin Blanc and Cinsault produced by Rock of Eye from a blend of artistry and instinct born of his Rock of Eye and hands-on experience. Coenie’s greatest enjoyment comes not from accolades but from being able to create the perfect blend of wine with as little human interference as possible – just his Rock of Eye. Closer to his heart than even his best wine is his family, Caroline his wife, and his children. Whether there is another winemaker in the family following in the footsteps of his father – only time can tell. But what is certain is that Coenie will use his Rock of Eye to continue blending the finest of fine wines for years to come.