Which Chenin? - Stellenbosch (Karibib) offers richness and composition; Swartland (Paardeberg) delivers granite-driven tension and power.  Swartland leans towards citrus, energy, and ginger; Stellenbosch provides broader fruit and complexity.

The Swartland appellation offers a wide range of Chenin Blanc expressions, but this wine is rooted in the granitic outcrops of the Paardeberg. Both contributing vineyards lie roughly 37 km from the West Coast. The first site sits on a hilltop at the north‑western edge of the Paardeberg, planted in two phases - 1971 and 1979. Decomposed granite, forced to the surface by ancient dolomite, lends tension and a subtle acidic grip to the wine. The second site, Jakkalsfontein, was planted in 1983 on a north‑facing slope. Old bush vines here grow on decomposed granite over clay‑rich subsoils, delivering fruit of depth and natural concentration.

Tasting Notes: Shows its familiar sun‑warmed fruit, underpinned by crystalline clarity and acidity. The nose opens with peach and nectarine, lifted by a sweep of sweet spice - cardamom and a brush of orange zest. With air, white pepper and apricot sherbet emerge, alongside faint fynbos notes that add lift. The palate is luminous: a seam of lemon‑sorbet acidity broadens into juicy stone fruit and orange slices before coiling back to a vivid line of white grapefruit. With time in the glass, the wine leans further into its ripe citrus core, while subtle spice and a touch of chalk dust frame a dry, textural finish.

The wine will show at its most expressive within three to five years of vintage, but with careful cellaring it will evolve for over a decade, developing layered tertiary notes that reveal the pedigree of old‑vine Chenin Blanc.

‘The 2024 Chenin Blanc Swartland comes from three parcels planted in 1971, 1979 and 1983, whole cluster pressed and matured in 1,000 oval Austrian vats. This has wonderful precision on the nose, a little more citrus than the Stellenbosch Chenin, plenty of energy with real drive. The palate is beautifully balanced with real tension, quite complex and with just a hint of stem ginger. Real brightness here and verve on the finish. This is a serious upgrade from the '23 - highly recommended. Superb. 2026-2044’ – Neal Martin, Vinous, 94/100

ANALYSIS: ALC 12.53% | TA 6.5g/l | pH 3.12 | RS 2.5g/l