Winemaker Notes
Professional Ratings
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Wine & Spirits
Before Vincent Carême founded a winery in Vouvray, where he grew up, he worked several harvests in his wife’s homeland, the Western Cape of South Africa. More than a decade later, the couple established this label using 10 acres of chenin blanc grown in the decomposed granite soils of Swartland. Carême makes the wine the same way he does in the Loire, whole-bunch pressed and fermented without added yeast. This is his second vintage, a robust take on chenin, very dry and complex, with the tannins of the grape lees bringing on scents of wildflowers, beeswax and apple skin. The deep tone of the fruit makes this a white for roast veal.
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Decanter
Vincent Careme, from the famed estate in Vouvray, launched a new label in his wine's home country. From old vines planted on granitic soils, this has a fantastic purity, precision and minerality. Aromas of citrus and honeysuckle, with a refreshing breeze of a 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.
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.