The Reyneke label was created in 1998 when Johan Reyneke Jr. took over the farming activities from his mother and produced the first wines on the family farm, Uitzicht. The 20 hectares farm faces the historic town of Stellenbosch and overlooks the surrounding mountain ranges and the beautiful False Bay. Since inception, Johan has moved from farming conventionally to farming organically and finally to farming and producing his wines in accordance with biodynamic principles. Today his Estate is fully certified as organic and biodynamic by Demeter. Surprisingly, it is the only biodynamic vineyard in all of South Africa.

Reyneke believe that it is impossible to impart a sense terroir if you are constantly changing it with chemicals. "The intention here is to interfere as little as possible, to allow nature to be the real maker of the wine and to truly produce terroir specific wines of the highest quality." In partnership with winemaker Rüdiger Gretschel, Johan also experiments in the winery, using untoasted oak for his Reserve White Sauvignon Blanc and employing oval cement tanks for making Chenin Blanc with extended skin contact. But he uses only natural yeasts and basically lets the wine make itself. And the wines? Unique and terroir driven! There’s a house style here—purity of fruit, perfect balance, soft natural acidity, integration of oak and fruit, and a true expression of place.