Chenin blanc wines have a long and varied
history in South Africa. Originating in the Loire valley of France, they are
thought to have been the vines that Jan van Riebeeck planted at the Cape more
than 350 years ago.
Today they occupy about one-fifth of all
South African vineyards. For a long time they were a kind of poor relation in our
viticultural scene, often going under the name of steen, producing off-dry,
inexpensive and undistinguished single-cultivar wines from high-yielding
vineyards, and used as a part of the blend in a wide variety of other white
wines.
About 20 years ago, the story began to
change quite dramatically. Winemakers recognised the potential of Cape chenin
blanc and used sophisticated methods to produce a new range of high quality
wines that are now regarded as among the world’s best chenins.
Typical characteristics of this wine are a
floral aroma and flavours of apple, melon, guava, pineapple, honey, nuts, and
these were all evident in an outstanding tasting presented by Peter and Annette
Hoyer when our private wine group met recently at their house.
We tasted six wines, most of them
unfamiliar territory, I would guess, even to seasoned wine-drinkers. The tasting was, as usual, blind. We were
given descriptions of the wines, but not the order in which they were poured.
Most of the wines came from the Swartland
area and they were all the dry type of chenin. Our scoring was consistently
high, indicating our appreciation of their quality.
Top mark wine to the most expensive wine,
the Skurfberg 2011 chenin from Sadie Family Wines, a Malmesbury cellar. The
grapes used for this wine came from unirrigated, unfertilised bush vines
planted in the 1950’s near the Skurfberg (rough mountain) in the Olifants River
area, just north of Malmesbury.
The wine is a subtle combination of flavours
and aromas: apple, peach, melon, almond,
with a savoury background. It is given five stars in the Platter wine guide,
and its retail price is about R180 a bottle.
Second place in our scoring went to another
wine from the Swartland, from the not widely known Dewaldt Heyns Family Wines
cellar. Their Weathered Hands Chenin Blanc 2010 is made from vines that are 40
years old, and the result is a creamy, full-bodied, elegant wine that earns
four stars in Platter. Price: about R130.
The scoring was close, and the other chenin
blancs tasted were:
Mullineux Kloof Street 2012 from Mullineux
Family Wines, another Swartland cellar, this time at Riebeek Kasteel. Another
four-star wine, with a bouquet of pears, a golden colour and a taste of
tropical fruit. About R80.
Cederberg Chenin Blanc 2012, from the
Cederberg Private Cellar at Citrusdal, also four stars, crisp, fresh, with
hints of melon, grapefruit, apples and pears.
R80.
Ken Forrester Old Vines Reserve 2012, four
stars, from a Stellenbosch cellar that has become famous for its chenin. Full-bodied,
with spicy baked apple aroma, honey and caramel flavours. R90.
Mulderbosch Steen op Hout (chenin on wood)
2011, partly barrel-fermented, as the name suggests, four stars, aroma of
guava, pear and orange blossom, granadilla
and grapefruit on the palate. R75.
These are all exceptional wines. There are
many good chenin blancs available at substantially lower prices. Try them.
I don’t think you will be disappointed. – Michael Green
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