Reserve Chenin Blanc

The grapes were harvested in three separate passes to ensure optimal ripeness and balance in the final wine. Handpicked in the early morning, bunch selection was meticulously performed in the vineyard. The fruit was then cooled and gently whole bunch pressed. The juice settled overnight naturally, without the use of settling enzymes. Fermentation occurred naturally in French oak barrels (15% new) using indigenous yeasts, with around 20% of the volume undergoing malolactic fermentation.

DeMorgenzon’s Chenin Blanc comes from low-yielding vines planted in 1972, which were originally planted as bush vines but recently lifted onto trellises. The vines are planted in decomposed granite soils, at altitudes of 250 to 300 meters above sea level. Close proximity to False Bay ensures cooling breezes in the warm summer months. A mild yet wet winter ensured optimal soil conditions as the growing season began. A relatively cool spring, punctuated by occasional rain, led to a delayed bud break. However, a warm weather in January helped correct any early-season unevenness. The continued moderate weather throughout the season allowed the harvest to progress at an even pace, enabling the winery to meticulously attend to the parcel as it arrived.

The wine was on the lees in the barrels for 10 months, without batonage.