2022 Wines Of Brocha Solace

The stony, north facing slopes of the cool Elgin district provide both the warmth and the aridity to grow grapes authentically and sustainably.

Brocha Vineyards is home to the 10a of vines that produce One Man Band and Solace, plus a 15ha conservation area of fynbos (fine bush scrub), and 5ha given over to pasture for a small herd of Nguni cattle. This division of land is in keeping with owner Rozy Gunn’s philosophy that any farm should give due recognition to the critical relationship between formal agriculture, natural vegetation and its livestock in order to function as a healthy and independent entity. As she says: “Small is beautiful, natural is best”.

Grapes were selected from two parcels of Syrah vineyards, planted in 2003 on Tukulu soils (50% gravel, 25% friable clay and 25% sand), giving the wine elegance, freshness and purity of fruit. Rozy selected 2 Syrah clones, SH9c and SH99. The vineyards are situated about 15 km from the ocean at an altitude of 330 metres.

Grapes were hand harvested into small crates and spent overnight in a cold room. Extensive bunch sorting by hand prior to destemming occurred. The grapes were not crushed, with 10% whole bunch for complexity. Fermentation was allowed to start naturally, with gentle punch downs twice a day by hand. Fermentation temperatures peaked at 28°C. The wines were transferred to 500L French oak barrels where malolactic fermentation took place (10% new wood, the rest 3rd, 4th and 5th fill). In keeping with Rozy's farming philosophy, there were no enzymes, yeast or sulphur used during the winemaking process. The wine is not fined or filtered, with a small amount of sulphur added before bottling.

The wine opens with vibrant layers of bramble and red berry fruit—think wild blackberry, raspberry, and red cherry—woven seamlessly with notes of cracked black pepper and a touch of clove. These spicy, peppery aromatics lend both complexity and intrigue to the nose. On the palate, the wine is energetic and poised, offering a lightly rich texture that balances freshness with depth.

Food matching:

Braised lamb and blue cheese, pecorino with rosemary and sundried tomato gremolada.