Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Delicious pear, jackfruit, quince, fennel and thyme aromas follow through to a medium-bodied, cool and creamy palate with a fruity midpalate. Excellent freshness. From three different vineyards with just under 40- to over 70-year-old vines. Drink now or hold.
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Wine Spectator
A sleek, mouthwatering white, with a streak of salinity enmeshed with flavors of ripe green apple and pomelo. Hints of lemon thyme, broom and chamomile echo on the racy finish.
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Wine Enthusiast
A citrus and minty nose introduces a lively and creamy palate that is full of herbs, mango, peach and a dash of salt. This mix of flavors linger through a satisfying medium 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.