Our Story
The History of Org De Rac
The Story of Org De Rac
Org de Rac was founded in 2000 by Nico Bacon, an entrepreneur in the South African fishing industry, who had a vision of establishing a wine farm committed to offering local and international consumers fine wines made from sustainably grown grapes. Org de Rac was established on the ethos of organic farming, aiming to make wines from grapes farmed as close to nature as possible, with the first vines planted in 2002.
Specialists were brought in to assist in achieving this ultimate goal. Soil classifications showed the physical structure and chemical analysis to determine which grape varieties are best suitable to our unique terroir.
The first wines were released in 2005, and since then the farm has built a reputation for a distinctive and quality range of wines made from organically farmed grapes.
Nico Bacon 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.
Why Organic Wine?
Org de Rac was one of the first wine farms in South Africa committed to 100% certified organic wine-farming. Today it is one of only 18 local wine producers certified for the making of wines from organically farmed grapes.
From the outset, Org de Rac’s motive for organic farming was our conviction that the best, healthiest grapes make the finest wines. And if you want healthy grapes expressing the characteristics of each variety, creating as natural an environment as possible for the cultivation of vineyards is the best way to ensure quality grapes for the making of premium wines.
The Swartland Region
The Swartland is one of South Africa’s most famous and oldest wine-farming regions. This hardy expansive landscape north-west of Cape Town has since the 17th century been home to the agricultural pursuits of sheep, wheat and wine farming. The name Swartland literally means “black land” and refers to the brooding dark appearance of the indigenous plants growing on the slopes of this rugged and majestic piece of earth.
Org de Rac is situated some 130km north of Cape Town and on the very northern edge of the Swartland region, just off the N7 near Piketberg. Besides the focus on organic farming, Org de Rac is characterised by its isolated position far removed from the more intensely farmed regions. Its vineyards are south-facing and grow in isolation, fanned by the cooling westerly breezes of the icy Atlantic Ocean situated 50km away.
The Berg River, one of the primary rivers in the Western Cape, borders the property en route to its entrance into the Atlantic, and the looming Piketberg mountain borders Org de Rac to the north.