Winemaker Notes
Light golden wheat color. Layered expressions of citrus and tropical fruit with subtle layers of honey and almonds in the background. Balanced and superbly structured, the flavors are complimented by a delicate
minerality.
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Diamond merchant Laurence Graff bought this estate in 2003, turning the property into an expansive, art-filled Relais & Château resort, and building a new winery. Morné Vrey makes the wines, sourcing this one from old bush vines, the fruit whole-bunch pressed and fermented in French oak barrels, where it then rests without any lees stirring or malolactic fermentation. The result is a powerful wine: The warm wood tones combine with the fruit to build a richness akin to marzipan while the acidity keeps the wine balanced and firm. Notes of truffles and bee pollen add to the impression of lush elegance, but the wine never gets too heavy. Still, it’s likely best to lose this in the cellar for a few more years.
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.