The Team

With more than three decades in Stellenbosch winemaking, Coenie Snyman has built a career grounded in experience, instinct, and a deep understanding of site. While long associated with Cabernet Sauvignon, his focus today is broader, guided by vineyards that consistently deliver character and longevity, and by a clear expression of each site in the glass.

A graduate of Stellenbosch University in Viticulture and Oenology, his early years were shaped by mentors Martin Meinert and Chris Keet, alongside harvests in California and Bordeaux. He joined Distell in 1995, later becoming cellar manager, before spending 16 years at Rust en Vrede, helping to re-establish the estate’s standing.

In 2021, he founded Rock of Eye — shaped by experience and guided by intuition. The name reflects an instinctive sense of proportion, developed over time through practice and judgement.

His wines are made with a clear intention: to express Stellenbosch, shaped by the vineyards, long-standing relationships, and minimal intervention in the cellar. They combine drinkability with ageability, and are made to be shared at the table.

This approach has found its way onto Michelin-starred wine lists, and his work has been recognised with Diners Club Winemaker of the Year in 2007 and 2025, alongside membership of the Cape Winemakers Guild since 2010.