Description
“Big vines” is how Adi Badenhorst describes the fruit of this Swartland vineyard, planted in 1968 and 1972. The result is a wonderfully complex, self-assured Chenin Blanc with hay and wildflower aromas, a hint of gunflint, pear and quince flavours, stylish wood and enough focus and minerality to carry full malolactic fermentation. Long and detailed. 2022-28 96/100 Tim Atkin MW
The juice always takes a long time to ferment, and the resulting wine has a wonderful minerality to it. Obviously textured and deep in flavour because of the low yields and age of the vines. It has a complex flinty aromatic profile, and we reckon it can age pretty well.
Vineyard
The single vineyard was planted in 1966 on decomposed granite soils and is situated just next to the “kelder”, which means cellar in Afrikaans. The 1.2 ha yields around 1400 L of juice. The flavours in the grapes from this vineyard tend to be that of granadilla and apricot.
Vinification
They were handpicked into picking crates and chilled overnight in a cool room. The grapes are pressed whole bunch, and the juice is run-off directly to an old 1200L foudre. The fermentation takes a few months to complete naturally. The wine stays on its gross lees for the entirety of its maturation, whereafter it is bottled without any fining or filtration.
Analysis
Alc. 12.96%
RS 1.1 g/L
pH 3.57
TA 4.6 g/L
