Chenin Blanc Verdelho

The grapes were gently whole bunch basket-pressed without adding enzymes. Natural fermentation was allowed to take place in 400L & 225L French oak barrels. Some fine lees was added back to the juice in barrel to allow for more complex characters and textures to develop during it’s time in barrel.

The Chenin blanc grapes come from 40-year-old, dry land farmed bush vines in the Swartland, and a 36-year-old vineyard from Bot River, called ‘Langbene’ (Long legs) - named after the unique and extremely long trunks of the vines. A soil combination of Bokkeveld shale and clay from Bot River, and decomposed granite from Swartland. The Verdelho grapes come from Voor-Paardeberg, grown in decomposed granite and clay as well as a vineyard in Bot River grown in Bokkeveld shale. The decomposed granite soils produce a rich, generous and broader palate, while the shale and clay soil from Bot River produces an austere, focused, and texture driven wine. A combination of these two regions, together with the Verdelho that adds the freshness, combine to create a well balanced wine, both rich and generous and elegant and well poised, with a mineral focus and bright acidity.

10 months in old 400L and 225L French oak barrels. 100% malolactic fermentation.