Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Sliced pears, acacia honey, seashells and grapefruit on the nose of this very mineral wine. It’s medium- to full-bodied with plenty of midpalate weight and a stony, textured and focused finish.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The David & Nadia 2024 Swartland Chenin Blanc is built from eight single vineyards planted between 1968 and 1986 (and all recorded in the Old Vine Register), with 16 separate pickings forming the backbone of the blend. Whole-bunch pressing and restrained skin contact preserve clarity, aiming for a linear and tactile expression. While Swartland is often associated with shale, roughly 70% of this blend comes from granite soils, with additional iron-rich clay, limestone and ferricrete contributing nuance. The nose is expressive and focused, while the palate is tighter and less immediately expansive, favoring structure over volume. The wine reflects the region’s old-vine Chenin Blanc heritage and reinforces the Swartland’s growing identity as a benchmark for the variety.
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Vinous
The 2024 Chenin Blanc comes from eight vineyards, assembled from 16 pickings and is matured in concrete and older barrels. It has a delightful bouquet with pressed yellow flowers, hints of egg whites and jasmine. The palate is very well balanced with a keen line of acidity, tensile from start to finish. Very fine texture on the finish, this is a delicious and complex Chenin Blanc.
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.
Literally meaning "the black land," Swartland takes its name from the endangered, indigenous "renosterbos" (translating to rhino bush), which used to be plentiful enough to turn the entire landscape a dark color certain during times of year. The district, attracting some of the most adventurous and least interventionist winemakers, excels in robust and full-bodied reds as well as quality fortified wines.