South African Chenin Blanc #1
South Africa is a country that holds a great fascination for many people for a big variety of reasons. As a wine country, for example, it is also the secret favorite of our author John Frose. I myself associate the country with the emigration of my best friend when I was young. Here, too, the Cape of Good Hope had inspired his parents for over a decade that it was to become their permanent new home, with Cape Town being the chosen destination.
But it is not only the undeniable beauty of the country that makes it an attractive destination for travel and living. For more and more tourists, it is also the good wine that attracts them to South Africa. And rightly so, because not only is the wine region one of the most beautiful in the world, but the South African wines available in other parts of the world also repeatedly and remarkably demonstrate that the wine quality deserves a top international ranking.
Impressions from the charmingly oldschool Badenhorst website
While there are some big players, South Africa, like Australia, is characterized by a very large number of independent, smaller wineries. These are still family-run and, in times of modern shipping and communication channels, can also be found in Germany if you make a little effort in your search.
Today (and certainly in future articles) we will be talking about Chenin Blanc, the white equivalent of the red “national signature grape variety” Pinotage. But while Pinotage is really primarily known for South Africa, Chenin is of course also known from France and Australia, for example. But in South Africa it is actually the most widely cultivated grape variety across both categories and here it can grow wonderfully and play to its strengths, as we will see today.
As always, the conclusion before the actual tasting notes: There really are no losers in today's tasting and trio, with 88/90/89 points we have a high-quality line-up here that is fantastic, especially in the €12-18 price range, and can proudly represent South Africa. Not just good, but great value for money. Fresh, crisp and yet with an elegance that you often find in that country if you at least take the small step up from the lowest shelf level. There is almost nothing more to say, as the grape variety came through well in all the bottlings. The differences are rather marginal and also a question of your daily mood and what you are looking for. The Delheim may have brought in a bit more character and intensity with the wild ferment method, without losing its balance, and is therefore the close winner. So: be sure to try more South African Chenins! We will definitely be coming back to it...
2022 Badenhorst Chenin Blanc Secateurs
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For the single-varietal AA Badenhorst Secateur Chenin Blanc, the grapes are painstakingly cut from the vine by hand using secateurs (hence the name and label). After gentle pressing, the wine is matured on its own lees for seven months.
Category: White wine
Country of origin: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Designation/Sub-Region: Swartland
Producer: AA Badenhorst Family Wines
Grape variety: Chenin Blanc
Alcohol content: 12,5%
Residual sugar: 2,1g/l
Acidity: 5,2g/l
Price: 12-14€
Nose:
Very crystal clear and delicate, fresh and slightly juicy, honeydew melon and delicate peach, more obvious is the nectarine and a nice minerality, some pear
Taste:
Cantaloupe, crisp pear, more acidity in a small but noticeable spike, more than the nose suggested, white flowers, some ginger, and nectarine, mineral notes and some orange blossom, medium body, silky-round, without edges apart from the acid spike, crisp-short finish with lime and pear
Comment:
Nice Proto-Chenin Blanc, with all kinds of fish dishes and on the terrace in summer, the 7 months in the tanks have brought the acidity down nicely and rounded it off pleasantly overall.
88P
2021 Delheim Chenin Blanc Wild Ferment
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The Delheim Chenin Blanc Wild Ferment was harvested by hand and gently pressed. This was followed by spontaneous fermentation using only wild yeasts. During the ageing "sur lie" for 7 months in French oak barrels, the Chenin Blanc matured into a wonderful white wine.
Category: White wine
Country of origin: South Africa
Region: Stellenbosch
Designation/Sub-Region: -
Producer: Delheim
Grape variety: Chenin Blanc
Alcohol content: 13,5%
Residual sugar: 2,6g/l
Acidity: 6,1g/l
Price: 14-16€
Nose:
Very fresh, spring rain, fresh oranges, white peach, some lemon zest and subtle white grapefruit, if you go deeper, you will also find very subtle green herbs and some vanilla
Taste:
Nice sweet-acid balance, not as aggressive or young as some others, has a nice sweetness of white peach, some pineapple and orange zest, plus the soft influences of barrel aging with vanilla, medium body, quite aromatic and fresh at the same time
Finish:
A great all-rounder Chenin, medium-bodied and also quite in the middle in terms of acidity and sweetness, can satisfy everyone and work as an accompaniment to many dishes. It also has more than enough complexity to stand on its own.
90P
2021 KWV Chenin Blanc The Mentors
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This white wine is a blend of two components. Both were barrel fermented: the first 87%, with an indigenous yeast strain to improve the texture and mouthfeel of the wine. The remainder was blended with a specially selected yeast strain to create a fruity flavor. It was then fermented on the lees for 270 days and stirred regularly.
Category: White wine
Country of origin: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Designation/Sub-Region: -
Producer: KWV
Grape variety: Chenin Blanc
Alcohol content: 14 %
Residual sugar: 2,56g/l
Acidity: 6,77g/l
Price: 17-19€
Nose:
Aromatic and elegant, subtle mango notes, some jasmine tea, peach and some sweet grasses, as well as a little fresh lime zest, something waxy that gently wraps around the nose and a hint of toasted almonds
Taste:
More peach and especially a little lime spike, the mango is only there in the background and in the second half, but the acidity is not too loud either, it has a certain creaminess that does not make it seem too aggressive, medium body, nice finish with light notes of roasted, light nuts
Finish:
A very clean and high-quality Chenin Blanc that is balanced in all areas and lacks just a little something special for even more points.
89P
