Dalkeith Kalmoesfontein Chenin Blanc

Shellfish, Spicy food, Lean fish, Mild and soft cheese

After good winter rains in 2018, the the 2019 Swartland grape harvest looked extremely promising for most of the growing season, but dramatic weather changes in February kept vintners on their toes. High temperatures during the early ripening season nearly wiped out already stressed water reserves. In the weeks following, temperatures dropped and slowed down ripening significantly, making it difficult for some cultivars to reach maturity. Ultimately, however, 2019 Chenin Blanc made it past the finish line and already shows great potential.

The cellar crew nurtured the wine with regular topping and batonnage during a 10-month maturation period. The wine was then blended and lightly filtered before bottling in May 2020.

All grapes were handpicked at optimal ripeness and brought to the cellar in 20kg lug picking bins. They were pressed as whole bunches using a very slow and gentle pressing cycle and left to settle for 24-48 hours. The juice was then racked to a fermentation tank and inoculated with commercial yeast. After the onset of fermentation, the must was moved to different fermentation vessels, including 225L and 300L barrels for texture and aroma, 400L Clayvers to preserve fresh acidity and precise minerality, and 3000L Foudres to bring roundness and protect natural fruit freshness.

We see possibility in a handful of earth. We’ve been family-owned and family-run since we planted our first vine in 1974. While our family of winegrowers has expanded over the years, one thing that has not changed is our family culture. Wine is our passion, and from this passion comes our multigenerational vision to grow wines of distinction, do business ethically and empower our people. It’s been a labor of love tending and building our vineyards and estates. Inspired by the long-held tenet that great wines can only come from great vineyards, we searched the cool, coastal ridges around the world for some of the best vineyard land. Each of our wineries has its own distinct fingerprint and style driven by the terroir of our family-owned vineyards, and the trust we have in our winemakers to pursue their philosophies for distinguished wines.