Winemaker Notes
The 2022 Mev. Kirsten displays tropical fruit aromas that migrate more to fresh apricot and ripe peaches and pears, so generally, stone fruit aromatics. Firm tannins and a grippy acidity uphold these slightly riper and larger fruit aromas. The wine's structure and the fruit's volume are incredibly concentrated without being sweet in any way or form. It is truly an incredible vineyard.
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Full, fresh and lively in the glass, the 2022 Old Vine Series Mev Kirsten bursts with incredible freshness wrapped in finesse and seductive notes of dusty citrus blossoms. Medium-bodied, the mouthfeel offers considerable weight, a delightful nutty essence and a kiss of phenolic bitterness that gradually glides to a soft, leesy expression. The Mev Kirsten has a certain gravitas that weighs on the palate and hangs through the long, lingering, food-friendly finish. It’s mind-bogglingly delicious and has my head spinning for more. Only 4,500 bottles were produced from whole-bunch-pressed, old-vine Chenin Blanc that rested in old foudre.
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.