— WINES OF —
Brocha Vineyards is home to 10 hectares of vineyards which produce One Man Band and Solace, a 15-hectare conservation area of fynbos, and 5 hectares dedicated to pastures for a small herd of Nguni cattle. This division of land is in keeping with my philosophy that a farm gives due recognition to the critical relationship between formal agriculture, natural vegetation, and animals to function as a healthy and independent farm organism. My helpers and I complete the relationship between soil, plant, human and animal.
FARMING PHILOSOPHY
Philosophy
Biodynamic farming was based on a series of lectures delivered by Rudolph Steiner in 1924. Post-World War 1 there was already growing concern for the degradation of soils in agricultural land.
Biodynamics is primarily about the development of the human being who in turn observes and guides all farm practices and brings a mindfulness to the farm and honours its impulses. Brocha is an idea driven farm and our wines a natural expression of our philosophy in action.
Biodynamic Practices
It’s not as scary as you may think. Imagine making your own medicine. Once a year as a community we make the biodynamic preparations which are then used on our farms. These are made using cow manure and herbs such as chamomile, yarrow, nettle, oak bark, and valerian. These fermented microbial preparations are then dynamised in fresh rainwater by stirring and sprayed on the farm. They bring life and intelligence to the soils and harness cosmic forces as well as acting as natural fungicides to ward against downy and powdery mildew. They are also inserted into our compost heaps.
SOLACE & ONE MAN BAND
Solace and One Man Band are expressions of my agricultural and life philosophy. Farming is the coal face of these wines, and my reluctance to use any synthetic or systemic products on Brocha is in direct line with my attempt to produce intelligent and resilient vines which can weather the vagaries of climate and weather and to offer the consumer access to wines which are sincere and genuinely representative of site and season without the interference and gloss offered by outside inputs and clever techniques and chemical residues. The process involves constant questioning of one’s motives and respect for site which is more powerful and relevant to our wines than my ego. Respect for the soil and the vines is paramount and I will continue to employ more human hands and use organic and biodynamic products in favour of cheaper hard chemicals.
The History of Solace AND One Man Band
All red varietals (Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Petit Verdot) were planted in 2004 and the first vintage of red wines made in 2007.
These wines became the predominant blend in IONA ONE MAN BAND and it would be another seven years before we deemed it worthy to make a stand-alone Syrah which we called SOLACE. 2014 was the first vintage of SOLACE and achieved a 5-star Platter debut.
The Future of Solace and One Man Band
Bobby Wallace and I continue the planting of the “Future Solace” blocks which is a further reflection on our past observations and actions on this small farm. This project was designed and laid out by Jaco Engelbrecht and Tiaan King because I think art counts even in designing vineyards. Using the staked vine system (Echalas) unfettered by the constraints of wires has made this serpentine vineyard possible which honours slope without the invasive practice of terracing. Narrow rows ensure less machinery which means less tillage. Apical growth is encouraged which is the vines natural impulse. Observation and respect are key to our practices on Brocha.
Winemaking
Werner Muller makes these wines with extreme dedication, intelligence and little else. No whole bunch, no added enzymes for settling, no fining or filtration. We tried to mimic the minimal chemical intervention in the vineyard in the cellar.
Our Staff
I work as part of a dedicated and gifted team who bring enormous value and intelligence to SOLACE and ONE MAN BAND.
WINEMAKER
Werner Muller
VITICULTURAL CARETAKER
Bobby Wallace
FARM WORKERS
Eugene Mentoor, Anthony Faro, and Andile Nofumo. Jaydn Mentoor, Andre Jantjies and Jonathan Cloete help when three is not enough!
ROZY GUNN IS CUSTODIAN AND DIRECTS THE PHILOSOPHY WHICH DRIVES THE BROCHA FARM AND ITS WINES
