Contact Us

Opening Hours

Please make a reservation 48 hours before your visit for groups larger than 8 people.

Mon – Fri: 9h00 – 17h00

Saturday: 10h00 – 15h00

Contact Us

Tel: +27 (0)22 913 2397 / +27 (0)22 913 3923

Find Us

GPS: 32°57’58.7″S, 18°45’05.7″E

Off the N7, R399, Piketberg

OUR PEOPLE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nico Bacon – Founder

Nico Bacon was an entrepreneur who has worked in the fishing industry for most of his life. After years working for various commercial companies he founded Viking Fishing in 1980 and built it into a leading South African fishing company.

Outside of commercial fishing, Nico had a love of farming, soils and natural agriculture – as well as rugby! In 2001 he established Org de Rac on the ethos of organic farming, aiming to make wines from grapes farmed as close to nature as possible. He was still very much involved in the day-to-day operations of his beloved wine farm on the slopes of the Piketberg, until he sadly passed away in June 2020.

Johan Gerber – General Manager

Before even enrolling for his academic studies in agriculture and the crafting of wine at Stellenbosch University’s Elsenburg College, Johan Gerber started his childhood dream and journey of crisscrossing the globe to gain experience at some of the finest wineries in Australia, several of the wine valleys in California and renowned cellars in his beloved Cape Winelands.

During his studies and after graduating, he continued with his drive to explore various wine offerings and learn from the best in the industry. Between 2004 and the end of 2020, when he joined Org de Rac as the fulfilment of where he wanted to live his dream, his wine crafting experiences were spread over three continents. 2004 he started as a cellar assistant at De Toren Private Cellar in Stellenbosch. Then followed Imagery Private Cellar in Sonoma, California.

Shortly after obtaining his degree in 2007, he joined Bleasdale Vineyards in Langhorne Creek, South Australia. In 2008, he moved to Chateau Montelena in the Napa Valley and, in 2009, back to South Australia’s d’Arendberg. In 2010, he completed his international stint in California’s Alexander Valley at Clos du Bois.

READ MORE

Lizelle Gerber – Winemaker

Lizelle Gerber who took over the winemaking reins of at Org de Rac at the end of 2021 is a seasoned Cape winemaker. 

She graduated from the famed Elsenburg Agriculture Institute and began to make her mark in the industry when joining Stellenbosch estate Zevenwacht in 1996. During her tenure at the prestigious Boschendal Estate in Simondium, Lizelle headed-up the white wine and Cap Classique operations, winning a plethora of accolades along the way, including for Best Producer at the Amorim Cap Classique Challenge. Before joining Org de Rac Lizelle was cellarmaster at Nederburg, South Africa’s largest premium wine brand.

Lizelle’s track-record and experience, as well as her go-to attitude, complements the Org de Rac team. She has made her mark in the industry, but still has an enormous vision and ambition to create fine wines from various varieties.

Map to Org de rac