Stellenbosch Old Vines Chenin Blanc

The wine's vibrant acidity and textured palate make it an excellent companion to a variety of dishes. It pairs well with rich seafood like lobster or crab, creamy poultry dishes, and soft cheeses such as Brie or Camembert. Its versatility also complements spicy Asian cuisine and roasted pork. ​

Sourced from three mountainous vineyards in the Bottelary ward of Stellenbosch—Sonop, Houmoed, and Mooiplaas—planted between 1972 and 1981. These sites feature diverse soils: shale, greywacke, and granite, contributing to the wine's complexity.

The wine underwent 11 months of sur lie maturation in oval Austrian foudres, enhancing its texture and complexity.

Hand-harvested between 17 February and 9 March 2022, the grapes were picked at 20.9–22.8°Brix and chilled overnight at 8°C. Whole clusters were sorted and pressed using a delicate champagne-cycle. Fermentation occurred with indigenous yeasts, and the wine matured sur lie for 11 months in 1,000L oval-shaped Austrian oak foudres.

DAMASCENE is a partnership between Jean Smit and David Curl, former owner of Château Gaby in Canon-Fronsac, Bordeaux. What began as a conversation around making wine from the Pinot Noir planted on Curl’s Elgin estate swiftly revealed the pair’s shared passion for celebrating unsung pockets of South African terroir. Following the maxim of ‘Less cult, more cultivation’, the founding philosophy of DAMASCENE is simple, yet unyielding: that the journey to great wine can only begin in the vineyard. “DAMASCENE is about seeking out memorable vineyards and sites that truly showcase the incredible diversity of terroir we have here in the Western Cape,” says Smit. “I spend countless days on the road, covering thousands of kilometres, visiting vineyards and farmers in search of special parcels of land.”