Pounding Grape: the exciting wines of Chris Groenewald, from South Africa
Back in 2014 one of South Africa’s most interesting, and probably quirkiest wine projects was born, a collaboration between Michael Roats and winemaker Ryan Mostert. It was a set of two non-vintage wines called Smiley and Silwervis, and a year later this was supplemented by a Syrah under the Terracura label.
It went on hiatus when the winemaker left, and then came back with Chris Groenewald at the helm, and now there’s a further shift towards a clearer brand identity under Chris’ existing brand, Pounding Grapes.
Smiley has stopped, and the final release was version 7. Chris will continue making Syrah for Michael Roats under the Terracura label with the 2025 and 2026 vintages, but Chris has taken over the winery lease and Pounding Grape will be the name going forwards. So evolution, but the quirkiness and sense of fun remains.
Chris’ approach is natural, but he says, ‘I like making wine wines natural and clean.’ In the winery he has 26 plastic eggs, and all the bottles he uses recycled bottles that have been re-washed by a company in Wellington.
Treve (TR) and I each caught up with him separately to try through the new releases, and they are deeply impressive.
Bringing Back the Joy 2025 Durbanville, South Africa
12% alcohol. This is skin-contact Sauvignon Blanc from a vineyard that looks over Table Mountain. & days on skins, then basket pressed into a 300 litre barrel and a 525 litre plastic egg. Fresh, chalky and nicely aromatic with a hint of mint. Lovely perfume and then some structure in the mouth. 94/100 (JG)
This certified organic Sauvignon Blanc is off vines around 20 years old, rooted in Malmesbury shale. After 7 days on skins, this was but pressed into a plastic egg and 1 300L neutral barrel, where it rested on gross lees 11 months prior to bottling end December with no fining and very loose filtration. Salty throughout, with crushed stone, apricot pith, mandarin, tangerine, and kisses of white pepper, this energetic white is tight, taut, and with a reverb that draws you back to the glass. 900ish bottles. 12%. The idea and name for this wine started back in 2019 thanks to Lukas van Loggerenberg’s gutsy skin contact SB. Chris didn’t like how SB was traditionally handled in South Africa, and inspired by BB King’s The Thrill is Gone, decided to bring back the joy. 93/100 (TR)
Terracura Chenin Blanc 2025 Swartland, South Africa
13% alcohol. This is from a single vineyard called Sky, planted in 1998, with unirrigated bush vines. Most goes to Mullineux for their granite bottling. It’s higher up on the mountain so the granite is less weathered than on the valley floor. Destemmed, left overnight, pressed the next morning into two eggs. This is pure and linear, very mineral and quite elegant. Concentrated with a nice acid line and good texture and salinity. 95/100 (JG)
Unicorns in the Sky 2025 Swartland, South Africa
Chenin Blanc. 75% Sky vineyard, 25% Kweperfontein (planted 1964). Sky was pressed after one night on skins, while the other part was 6 days on skins. Fermented and aged in plastic eggs. This is textured and powerful, and quite lively, showing appealing pear and peach fruit with real depth and purity. The skin ferment adds some depth and a bit of structure. Lovely fruit expression but also some nice fine-grained structure. This is quite beautiful. 95/100 (JG)
From two vineyards in the Paardeberg, this Chenin Blanc is 25% off Kweperfontein (1964 dryland bush vine on decomposed sandy granites, skin fermented over 6 days), and 75% Sky Vineyard (1998 bush vine dry farmed on granite, on skins overnight before pressing). The Sky portion was native fermented and aged in egg, where the 1964 fruit was native fermented and rested in 300L French barrels. All waited 11 months on full lees, with full MLF prior to bottling. Quince and crystalline lemon lead this weighted, buzzy palate, with a vibrato running long through the humming finish. Very much in youth, this will flesh out with time, while holding onto that acid line. 13% This was named for the unicorn vineyard of Kweperfontein, farmed by Franziska Wickens, and the name will remain even though Sky vineyard will not be a part of future vintages. 93/100 (TR)
Fairies in the Garden 2025 Swartland, South Africa
This is Semillon Gris from Kweperfontein. Lots of juice versus skins because of big berries, and this sent 7 days on skins. Lovely orange colour. Textured and finely spiced with sour cherry, ripe pear and a touch of cherry. Fine-grained with nice spicy flavours to the fruit, showing lovely balance. 94/100 (JG)
This stunner of a Semillon Gris is from 20ish year old naturally mutated vines, also from Franziska Wickens’ Kweperfontein, and its decomposed granitic sands. After 7 days skin ferment, this was basket pressed into 1 egg and 1 225L barrel. Pouring a hazy glowing orange hue, this streaks tangerine, bergamot, pear skin and green herbs along the sleek palate, with a candied quince note in the core, and a lengthy flake salt finish. Great tension and energy throughout. 12%. This label started as skin fermented Gewürztraminer in 2020. Chris said the ferment smelled exactly like gingerbread (Hansel and Gretel), and along with the otherworldly colour, named it like a fairytale. 92/100 (TR)
Just Leave Me Flowers on my Grave NV Swartland
This Chenin comes in a 500 ml bottle, and it is 65% from 2023 with 3 years under flor, coupled with 35% fresh juice from 2026. Oxidative, appley and tangy with a flor-like nose. Some hints of raisin. Tangy and warm and lively and rich and spicy, this is such a complex wine in a unique style. 94/100 (JG)
This just-released Chenin Blanc under flor is a blend of 65% wine from 2023 (quietly resting in 500L barrel under flor), mixed with 35% 2026 Kweperfontein blended in for freshness. It is unfortified at 15%, with concentration due to evaporation. A fantastically nutty, rancio nose, with golden raisin, almond, orange oil, flake salts, and a slight slick of caramel sweetness. Very complexed, long, and super unique for SA, and best enjoyed over an evening (or two). 400 x 500mL bottles released. Chris’ deathbed wine would certainly be a flor affected wine, and this wine’s name plays with the idea of life sprouting underneath from something that should be dead. 94/100 (TR)
Hard Candy Pinotage 2024 Durbanville, South Africa
13% alcohol. This is from the back end of Durbanville looking towards the Swartland, and it is two 225 litre barrels. Beautiful sweet berry fruit aromatics. Lovely texture and freshness with juicy red cherries and plums. Nice freshness and detail here. Grippy and crunchy and pure, with nice direct fruit. Real energy. 95/100 (JG)
This Pinotage comes from Durbanville, off the same farm as his Syrah and SB, but off the other side of the hill, NW facing, on shale, and 15ish year old vines. The fruit was destemmed, with 15% whole berry (partial carbo) before being pressed into 2 x 228L older barrels, for 14 months. Juicy blackcurrant and black plum lead this pure, fresh, and joyous red, seasoned with dusky florals and cracked peppercorn, and wrapped with long, finely dusty / lightly sticky tannins through an espresso finish. A lovely, fresher style at 13%. The name was inspired by Counting Crows’ song Hard Candy. Chris wanted an unadulterated, innocent, simpler style of Pinotage, like the simpler time of eating these heart shaped candies. 93/100 (TR)
Where the Lines Bend Cabernet Franc 2025 Stellenbosch, South Africa
11% alcohol. The fruit here comes from the Bottelary Hills (Danie Steytler). The grapes came in cold and wouldn’t start fermenting. It took four days for these destemmed grapes to get going and then they had one gentle punch down a day. After basket pressing they were aged in eggs. Lovely floral aromatics with some chalky notes under the floral cherry fruit. Fresh and vivid with lovely acidity. Pure and primary, this is a lighter expression of Cabernet Franc that’s very Loire-like. So juicy and fine. 94/100 (JG)
This Cabernet Franc comes off Stellenbosch’s Bottelary Hills, and a tiny part of the mighty Kaapzicht vineyard, higher up on the hills with an oceanview and Koffeklip soils. The fruit was destemmed and sat for 3 days in a natural cold soak before ferment kicked off. After 10 days, this was basket pressed into 2 x 525L eggs, and bottled late December (with some CO2 at bottling). Wild blackberry, thorns, perfumed plums are lit with tart and crunchy acidity, and framed with long, lightly sticky tannins, taking this to a pink peppercorn dusted finish. A lovely lighter lens for the grape. 11%. 2026 will be half of the production here due to low yields. The name comes from a Jacob Collier interview talking about music and people, and “all these wiggly people trying to be straight lines. Things get interesting where the lines bend”. Chris believes things get interesting when they’re being drawn outside the boxes, like experimenting with this Cab Franc in Stellies, being a wine as the vineyard wants to be made. 94/100 (TR)
Terracurra Syrah 2025 Durbanville, South Africa
13.2% alcohol. This is 100% whole bunch, from Malmesbury shale soils, looking towards table mountain. A mixture of eggs and 300 litre barrels. Crunchy and bright but fluid and floral, with lovely tannins under the sleek black cherry fruit. So good. 96/100 (JG)
UK agent: Woodwinters
