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 Quoin Rock
Stellenbosch, South Africa
Winemaker: Rod Easthope & Carl van der Merwe
Quoin Rock: winery profile by Richard Kelley MW
Quoin
Rock is another new venture with an impressive cellar on the Knorhoek Road, on
the way to Muratie and Delheim. The winery is owned by Glaswegian Dave King,
who made his fortune in Johannesburg. Using consultants Michael Fridjhon and ex
Rustenberg winemaker, Rod Easthope, they set about establishing one of the most
talked about projects this side of the 1994 free elections. The Simonsberg
vineyards (previously known as Glenhurst) were already planted with Cabernet
and Merlot, although they have entered uncharted territory with Chardonnay and
Sauvignon Blanc by establishing vineyards at Agulhas, the southern most tip of
Africa. The 2002 Sauvignon is from first crop vineyards and is more old world
rather than new, despite Rod being of New Zealand descent. These are cool
climate wines with a nervous character and strong minerality. The Chardonnay
2001 suffered from a surfeit of new oak and the barrel fermented Sauvignon
'Oculus' remains a curiosity at present. For this reason, we have bought only
the Sauvignon to date with an option of looking at the new vintages for whites
and the Merlot later this year. Easthope has since left to pursue new
challenges at much neglected Backsberg, so we wait to see the results of new,
young resident winemaker Carl van der Merwe.
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