Cape Wines - Grand Cru Set - Chenin Blanc 2

Six great Chenins from the best winemakers of the Cape

Chenin Blanc is South Africa's most important white grape variety, and at the top today are wines that rival the best whites in the world. This Grand Cru set brings together six of them, many from old, dry-farmed bush vines: from the granite of the Paardeberg to the Bottelary Hills in Stellenbosch and the high altitudes of the Cederberg. Included are former Sadie and Boekenhoutskloof winemakers who now craft their own wines, Swartland greats Donovan Rall as well as David and Nadia Sadie, and the Cape classic Cartology from Alheit. A set for Chenin lovers and collectors who want to experience South Africa's premier variety at its peak.

The six bottles in the set

• Paulus Wine Co. Bosberaad Chenin Blanc 2023 Paul Jordaan was a winemaker at the Sadie Family before founding his own brand with Pauline Roux in 2018. "Bosberaad" roughly translates to a meeting in nature. The grapes come from roughly 44-year-old vines on the Waterval estate in the Siebritskloof on the Paardeberg. Pear and apricot, white flowers, baked quince and honeycomb, with a fine note of flint; powerful and salty-fresh. Platter 94 points, Tim Atkin 93 points.
• Cederberg Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2022 Cederberg's top tier honors the five generations of the Nieuwoudt family. Only 13 selected barrels, around 6,600 bottles. Citrus blossoms, roasted almonds and orange zest; on the palate, baked apple and marmalade, rich and creamy, with lively acidity from the high altitudes. Platter 5 stars, Decanter 94 points.
• Rall Noa Chenin Blanc 2022 Named after Donovan Rall's youngest daughter, from a two-hectare site on the Paardeberg planted in 1969 on granite. Lime, lemon, quince, wild herbs and a waxy hint; dense and taut, with only 12% alcohol.
• Damascene Old Bush Vines Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch 2023 Jean Smit, formerly head winemaker at Boekenhoutskloof, produces this Chenin from three old bush vine sites in the Bottelary Hills. Quince, peach and summer-ripe apricot, mealy, waxy and stony, with lime, yellow apple and a mineral core; very linear and precise. Wine Advocate 95 points, Tim Atkin 94 points.
• David & Nadia Plat'bos Chenin Blanc 2021 From a site planted in 1981 on pure, weathered granite on the Paardeberg; the name means "low bush" after the small bush vines. Lime candy, lemon meringue and yellow apple; linear, with taut acidity, mineral energy and a very dry finish, at only 11.5% alcohol.
• Alheit Cartology 2023 With this wine, Chris and Suzaan Alheit draw a map of the Cape’s old vines, hence the name. Chenin Blanc from seven dry-farmed bush vine sites from Citrusdal to False Bay, supplemented by old Sémillon from Franschhoek. Pear, lemon, chamomile, thyme and beeswax; salty and long. Tim Atkin 96 points, Platter 5 stars.

At a glance: 6 bottles of 0.75 l each, white wine (Chenin Blanc, Cartology with a small portion of Sémillon), South Africa, dry. Best served at 10 to 12 degrees, preferably in a larger glass and with some air.

Vinification

• Paulus Wine Co. Bosberaad Chenin Blanc 2023: 100% Chenin Blanc from dry-farmed, sustainably managed vines on weathered granite sand over granite rocks. Whole-bunch pressing with a long press cycle, spontaneous fermentation in wooden barrels and a concrete egg, 12 months on the lees in the fermentation vessels. Only around 500 cases. Swartland (Paardeberg).
• Cederberg Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2022: 100% Chenin Blanc from a southwest-facing site on Glenrosa and sandstone soils. Whole-bunch pressing, one day of settling, spontaneous fermentation in 400-liter French oak barrels. Around 10 months of aging, mostly in used wood, no malolactic fermentation. Cederberg.
• Rall Noa Chenin Blanc 2022: 100% Chenin Blanc from a single vineyard (planted 1969) on granite and Koffieklip. Spontaneous fermentation, aging in a concrete egg and used, neutral wooden vessels. Swartland (Paardeberg).
• Damascene Old Bush Vines Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch 2023: 100% Chenin Blanc from the Sonop, Houmoed and Mooiplaas sites on shale, greywacke and granite, planted between 1972 and 1981. Spontaneous fermentation; after about a third of the fermentation, transferred to oval 1000-liter Austrian oak foudres, 11 months on the fine lees without bâtonnage. Only around 3000 bottles. Stellenbosch (Bottelary).
• David & Nadia Plat'bos Chenin Blanc 2021: 100% Chenin Blanc from bush vines (planted 1981) on weathered granite on a north-facing slope on the Paardebosch estate. With the Old Vine Project seal. Swartland (Paardeberg).
• Alheit Cartology 2023: 94% Chenin Blanc, 6% Sémillon. Dry-farmed bush vines, at least 35, mostly 40 to 50 years old, yield around 3 t/ha. Hand-sorted, whole-bunch pressing, only lightly clarified, no additives. Spontaneous fermentation in concrete eggs, clay amphorae, foudres and old barrels. WO Western Cape.

Pairs well with: Oysters, scallops, lobster, grilled fish, crustaceans in butter sauce, roast chicken, veal with cream sauce, risotto, asparagus, Gruyère and Comté.