Winemaker Notes
These Chenin Blanc vines range in age from 3 to 43 years old. Cool climate Chenin Blanc from the windy Bot River is fermented and aged in both concrete tanks and stainless steel. Punchy and full of character says owner and winemaker Sebastian Beaumont. Citrus, pineapple, fresh.
Great with seafood, especially shellfish and spicy Thai and Indian curries.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
The 2022 vintage produced a wealth of healthy fruit in spite of the regular rain and cool conditions that persisted until ripening. The fruit is all sourced from the family’s Bot River vineyards. Grapes were gently pressed into a combination of concrete and steel vessels where the wine was fermented and matured for four months before bottling. Greg Sherwood MW: Cool, stony mineral nose with green apple, white pear and a hint of peach. Mouthwatering tangerine acidity, hints of lemongrass and blood orange on the finish. Impressive for the money. Beverley Blanning MW: Intriguing spicy nose, notes of gingerbread. Excellent fruit concentration and length. Has real energy, and a lick of tangy minerality on the finish gives it interest, even excitement. Roger Jones: Fresh, bright stone fruit, beeswax, herbs, spices. Creamy but nice citrus feel. Juicy and fresh, moreish and easy drinking.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Made from two younger vineyards, the 2022 Chenin Blanc begins with fresh aromas of Juicy Fruit gum and sweet citrus before displaying a fine mineral essence in the glass. Medium-bodied, fresh, clean and expressive, the palate offers a kiss of phenolic bitterness before ending with a floral, food-friendly finish.
Unquestionably one of the most diverse grape varieties, Chenin Blanc can do it all. It shines in every style from bone dry to unctuously sweet, oaked or unoaked, still or sparkling and even as the base for fortified wines and spirits. Perhaps Chenin Blanc’s greatest asset is its ever-present acidity, maintained even under warm growing conditions. Somm Secret—Landing in South Africa in the mid 1800s, today the country has double the acreage of Chenin Blanc planted compared to France. There is also a new wave of dedicated producers committed to restoring old Chenin vines.
With an important wine renaissance in full swing, impressive red and white bargains abound in South Africa. The country has a particularly long and rich history with winemaking, especially considering its status as part of the “New World.” In the mid-17th century, the lusciously sweet dessert wines of Constantia were highly prized by the European aristocracy. Since then, the South African wine industry has experienced some setbacks due to the phylloxera infestation of the late 1800s and political difficulties throughout the following century.
Today, however, South Africa is increasingly responsible for high-demand, high-quality wines—a blessing to put the country back on the international wine map. Wine production is mainly situated around Cape Town, where the climate is generally warm to hot. But the Benguela Current from Antarctica provides brisk ocean breezes necessary for steady ripening of grapes. Similarly, cooler, high-elevation vineyard sites throughout South Africa offer similar, favorable growing conditions.
South Africa’s wine zones are divided into region, then smaller districts and finally wards, but the country’s wine styles are differentiated more by grape variety than by region. Pinotage, a cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsault, is the country’s “signature” grape, responsible for red-fruit-driven, spicy, earthy reds. When Pinotage is blended with other red varieties, like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah or Pinot Noir (all commonly vinified alone as well), it is often labeled as a “Cape Blend.” Chenin Blanc (locally known as “Steen”) dominates white wine production, with Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc following close behind.