Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2019 Chenin Blanc displays precision and purity with aromas of white peach, yellow apple, sweet citrus and elements of pineapple, wax melon and dusty yellow flowers. Medium-bodied, it shows impeccable balance with a lively mouthfeel with energetic acidity that sways with a mineral tension, delivering a fresh, juicy mid-palate with a subtle, growing essence of petrichor, white spice and sautéed almonds. The finish is thoughtful and lingering with notes of lemon peel, peach skin and a kiss of phenolic bitterness. These wines remain a consistent crowd-pleaser and are incredibly food friendly and versatile.
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.