Eenvoud

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

Over time we have come to learn that this Old Vine certified vineyard offers many different attributes throughout ripening, so we picked the vineyard in multiple pickings over the span of 3 weeks. The aim of this Eenvoud (translated to simplicity) is to best show the purity of our 1982 planted vineyard with an old school SN1061 clone.

From the 2023 vintage, the second pick of this vineyard, fermented and matured in a 3000L French oak oval foudre proved to best express the complexity of this special site. We also added a small 5% skin-fermented portion from the same block, matured in the same vessel for I0 months before bottling, Which adds texture and depth. One of my most interesting learnings from this old vine Chenin is how the analytical acidity measurement is not always reflected on taste as there are a higher perceived freshness and elegance in this wine even though the acidity is quite low.

Opstal Estate is situated at the foot of the Slanghoek mountains in the heart of the breathtakingly beautiful Slanghoek Valley on the Breedekloof Wine Route. The valley forms part of the Breede River Valley with Worcester as the closest, large town. 'One thing I’ve learned over the years, both growing up and working in the wine industry, is that wine—whether the product itself, the process of making it, or the people behind it—should not be taken too seriously. The key word for me in my winemaking philosophy is drinkability. I aim to make our customers' wine-drinking experience as relaxed and enjoyable as possible.' - Attie Louw