Reserve Chenin Blanc

Serve with a mild butter chicken curry

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. The 2024 vintage in the Bottelary Hills will be remembered as a vintage of contrast. A wet and cold winter was followed by a notably dry, warm, and compressed harvest period. Despite challenging weather events during flowering and early growth, the season ultimately delivered wines with excellent concentration, purity, and balance.

The wine aged on the lees in the barrels for 11 months, and after the final assemblage was put together, a further 5 months of maturation.

The grapes were harvested in five 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 (20% new) using indigenous yeasts, with no malolactic fermentation.

A hidden garden vineyard deep in the Stellenbosch Kloof, with sweeping views across False Bay to Cape Town, lies DeMorgenzon - a name derived from Dutch origin for “the morning sun.” From its hilltop manor, this prestigious and graceful family estate is home to Wendy and Hylton Appelbaum. Classical music drifts through the garden vineyards. The earth has music for those who listen. Viticulturally, DeMorgenzon has predominantly south-facing slopes create a cooler microclimate in an otherwise warm region. This allows for the production of finely poised, ethereal Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay, as well as sophisticated, highly aromatic Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. In keeping with their vinous philosophy, the estate is farmed regeneratively, fostering biodiversity and soil vitality to create a balanced, living ecosystem in the vineyards.