Winemaker Notes
20 year old dry farmed chenin with a nose of lemon peel, wild flowers, wet chalk and freshly shucked buttered corn. The palate is greeted with the taste of fresh summer peaches, poppyseed cake with a lemon drizzle and a touch of straw. Long, creamy finish.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Slight bruised orange aromas with notes of cinnamon, ginger and fresh pear. Zesty and balanced on the palate, medium-bodied.
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.