Mentors Chenin blanc

A three-step selection process ensured only the best quality fruit was chosen for fermentation. Selective picking in the vineyard, followed by both bunch and berry selection on the sorting table in the KWV The Mentors cellar, is strictly followed. The cuvée was inoculated after two days of cold soaking. Fermentation took place at 26oC over six days. The wine was pressed before alcoholic fermentation was completed, to prevent the extraction of hard and dry tannins. The wine matured in barrel for 18 months.

Water is the key feature of this vintage. Its lack to begin with and its abundance at the end with a few key cameo performances in between. Simply put we began this vintage with a very dry winter indeed. Our winter rains are the main source of moisture for our soils in the Western Cape and particularly in the Coastal regions. Our soils are consequently the biggest (most important) reservoir of moisture for our vineyards in these regions. With winter rainfall between 50% and 60% of long-term averages, dropping below the drought years of 2017/2018 in some places. Spring and summer rainfall were not enough to make up for the shortfall until early December when a cloudburst of thundershowers (and some hail) brought great relief. The rains caused increased disease pressure, but was managed well. What was becoming clear in January was a seriously smaller grape crop lead by smaller berries in particular. The smallest crop in 19 years. Cooler early season conditions led to great concentration of aromatics and structure further strengthened but smaller berry size. Early, light and brisk was the harvesting period until late February and early March where unseasonal rainfall slowed things down considerably for the last portion of the vintage.

The complete wine volume was matured for nine months, in 500L first, second and third-fill barrels.