Essence Chenin Blanc

The Fleur du Cap Essence du Cap Chenin Blanc 2023 pairs well with a variety of dishes, including seafood such as shellfish, crayfish, oysters, and mussels. It is also a great match for Thai cuisine, light chicken dishes, and mild traditional South African dishes like bobotie. The wine should be served chilled to enhance its fresh and vibrant character.

The grapes for this wine are sourced from selected vineyards across the Western Cape, where cool coastal breezes and diverse soils, including decomposed granite, contribute to the wine’s complexity and fresh acidity. The vineyard practices emphasize sustainable farming to ensure the health of the vines and the quality of the fruit.

The grapes are hand-harvested and gently pressed. Fermentation occurs at cool temperatures in a combination of stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels. About 20% of the wine is fermented and aged on oak, while the remaining 80% is unwooded, allowing the wine to retain its fresh fruit character. Lees contact is maintained for several months to enhance the wine's mouthfeel and complexity.

Fleur du Cap (French for “Flower of the Cape”) is greatly inspired by the Cape Floral Kingdom – a wildflower region famed for its natural beauty and rich biodiversity – with each species blossoming in the specific soil and climate best suited to their needs. It is this Cape Floral Kingdom that has greatly inspired our wines to not be defined by a single place or vineyard. Our philosophy is based around the freedom to explore – to find our grapes where they grow best, rather than be constrained by district, farm, climate or even vineyard. Our winemakers have access to the widest geography of vineyards in South Africa. This unrestricted journey across the Cape Winelands is what allows them to craft highly-lauded wines which exemplify regional excellence.