Riebeeksrivier Chenin Blanc

Pair with mild seafood/shellfish, roast chicken or curries.

The Riebeeksrivier farm is located on the slopes of the Kasteelberg, with views of the Swartland and the iconic Table Mountain. Its distinct terroir, particularly the Rhône-like shale soils, is powerfully expressed in the fruit, producing wines of exceptional character. Two bushvine vineyards planted in 1988 and 2013 on south-facing hillsides at elevations ranging from 350 to 400 metres above sea level produce fruit with exceptional intensity and flavour, balanced by bright acidity and length. A warm and dry winter preceded the 2023 harvest, with reasonably even budding starting slightly earlier than the previous year. Warm weather persisted throughout the growing season, resulting in an overall lighter harvest in the majority of regions . Heavy rains early in December provided much relief and ensured that the vines were in good condition prior to harvest. For most of the season, the conditions were great, and the fruit quality was exceptional. Unusually heavy and sustained rains in March posed some issues for later-ripening regions and varietals. Overall, a high-quality vintage promises to produce some remarkable wines.

Before being blended and bottled, the wine was aged for 7 months on fine lees, during which time partial MLF (10%) occurred.

The grapes were handpicked and refrigerated before whole bunch pressing the following day. Following overnight settling, 55% of the free run juice was transferred to stainless steel tanks, with the remainder going to French oak puncheons (9% new) and foudres, where spontaneous fermentation took place.

This is a range created in recognition of the Cape of Good Hope’s vinous heritage which stretches back more than 350 years when the first Governor of the Cape planted grapes. These unique wines are the result of irreplaceable parcels of old vines and site specific terroirs. The labels reflect the grape variety as well as the origin and singular characters behind them.