Winemaker Notes
The pinnacle of what we consider to be the finest expression of the grapes of this varietal – an icon chenin, a challenge to the world. Rich, layered with dried apricot, vanilla and honey. Will gain additional complexity with cellaring.
Enjoy with special friends as an exciting aperitif or with spiced dishes, even mild seafood/shellfish or curries. Great with exotic Eastern spiced foods.
Professional Ratings
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Vinous
The 2022 The FMC underwent 15 pickings over 40 days in this vintage, fermented and aged in 400L French oak barrels, about 40% new, for up to 12 months. This has an intriguing bouquet with a subtle reduction, scents of cooking apple, flint and light grilled hazelnut aromas blossoming with aeration. The palate is where it's at…wonderful balance and a killer line of acidity. There is a disarming purity of fruit: white peach and orange pith notes, a touch of bitter lemon effortlessly counterbalancing its natural richness and weight, leaving it fresh yet substantial. This FMC is one of the best that I have tasted.
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James Suckling
Fantastic intensity of fruit and spice here with notes of apricots, cedar, spiced apples and mangoes. It’s full-bodied but elegant, creamy and delicious, with a long and lively 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.
South Africa’s most famous wine-producing district, Stellenbosch, surrounds the historic town with the same name; fine winemaking here dates back to the late 1600s. Its valleys of granite, sandstone and alluvial loam soils between the towering blue-grey mountains of Stellenbosch, Simonsberg and Helderberg have the capacity to produce beautiful wines from many varieties. The climate is warm Mediterranean, tempered by the cool Atlantic air of nearby False Bay.
Perhaps most well-known for its Pinotage and Bordeaux blends, Stellenbosch also produces noteworthy wines from Syrah, Chenin blanc, Chardonnay and Sauvignon blanc. The district’s wards—Banghoek, Bottelary, Devon Valley, Jonkershoek Valley, Papegaaiberg, Polkadraai Hills and Simonsberg-Stellenbosch—all produce distinctive wines from vines with relatively low yields.