Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
From 60-year-old vines that were purchased from their neighbor, the 2014 Chenin Blanc is half fermented in 2,500-liter foudres from a cooper in Alto-Adige and the rest is used barriques, only the latter going through malolactic. The nose is subtle and well-defined, very expressive of the grape variety with touches of fresh pear, dried orange peel and jasmine coming through. The palate is well balanced with good acidity and full of energy, thanks to the citric seam of fruit, fanning out gently with more tropical tones developing on the finish. This is a very fine 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.
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.