Directly in front of the Visitor Centre, to the right, lies a vineyard that wasn’t always destined for vines. Where Cabernet Sauvignon now thrives, machines once quarried stone from this rugged hillside. It’s hard to believe, looking out over the balcony now, that this landscape would have appeared quite desolate. A place where nature and greenery had given way to extraction, taking all we could from the soil without giving back.
From this reclaimed land comes the inspiration for the name “Gravel Quarry”. A homage not only to the soil beneath our feet, but to the spirit of transformation itself.
Born from hardship, shaped by stone, and refined through time and care, this wine tells a story of resilience and change. The vines, trellised on a five-wire Perold system, grow in poor, weathered granite and koffieklip soils, conditions that force them to dig deep and focus their strength into the fruit. The result: small, thick-skinned berries that capture Cabernet Sauvignon’s hallmark intensity and depth.
In the spirit of transformation, however, we recently embarked on an ambitious journey to elevate Gravel Quarry, from an already exceptional wine, into one of the finest Cabernets South Africa has to offer. To achieve this, we explored select vineyards whose unique qualities should enhance the final wine. Because, after all, the beauty of blending lies in creating something greater than the sum of its parts.
Change always carries risk, but it’s worth embracing, for when those risks bear fruit, the reward is all the sweeter.
In this case, the results have been nothing short of remarkable. The wine has already earned a Double Gold at the Michelangelo Awards, and our Cellarmaster, Johnnie Calitz, has been shortlisted for the Diner’s Club Winemaker of the Year in the Cabernet Sauvignon category, a fitting recognition.
True to Glen Carlou’s philosophy of minimal intervention, the team embraced natural fermentation and rigorous fruit selection, ensuring only the finest berries were used. Free-run and press juices were kept separate, with only the most elegant fractions chosen for ageing. The wine then spent 24 months in 100% new French oak barriques. The oak adds finesse rather than weight, and a premium agglomerated Diam cork seals its promise to mature gracefully for decades and without risk of cork contamination.
“Opulent aromas of bramble and black cherry lead to vibrant flavours of rhubarb and blackcurrant on the palate, balanced by characteristic fine, powdery tannins.”