South Africa

JOOSTENBERG

Chenin Blanc 2019

$139.00
A South African Chenin blanc with notes of white fruit and the chalky character typical of the Paarl vineyards

Joostenberg is a family estate located in Paarl , South Africa, and renowned for its Chenin blanc wines. To guarantee the expression of the terroir and the grape variety, the vines are all grown organically , worked by hand and the winemaking practices are natural and “minimalist”. The low-yielding vines produce a naturally fermented wine which will rest for 5 months in vats on fine lees. On the palate, we find the typical aromas and flavors of Chenin Blanc such as apple , pear , lime , honeysuckle , white peach , tangy pineapple and even melon . The wine reveals a lovely roundness immediately balanced by linear acidity and chalky nuances typical of granite and shale lands.

Grape varieties : 100% Chenin Blanc

Alcohol : 13.5%

Guard : 1-5 years

To be discovered alone as an aperitif with a tuna rillette, with a grilled sea bass fillet, pan-fried shrimp in pastis, a fish tartare, Thai dishes or sheep's cheese.

The first vines were planted in South Africa by Dutch settlers in the 1650s, although wine production did not really begin to take off until the arrival of French Protestants, in the 1680s, with their skills and their knowledge of viticulture. Stellenbosch is also a historic wine region, with the first vineyards being planted there in the 1690s.



Today South Africa is one of the most important wine producing countries in the southern hemisphere. With over 300 years of winemaking history, it is often described as a bridge between the Old and New Worlds. The majority of wines are produced using New World winemaking techniques, but they often have more in common stylistically with their Old World counterparts. Since the end of apartheid, South African wine has received international attention and acclaim for its wide variety of styles.



South Africa's wine industry is spread across the lush and rugged landscape of the Western Cape. Here, the abundance of mountains, valleys and plateaus allows winemakers to produce a wide variety of styles. Vineyards can also be found in the Orange River region of the Northern Cape, where the flat, arid landscape is dominated by the Kalahari Desert. Most of South Africa's wine regions have a Mediterranean climate, strongly influenced by the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.



The country's signature grape variety is Pinotage, an indigenous cross of Pinot Noir and Cinsaut that is rarely found in quantity in other wine-producing countries. Shiraz (Syrah) is also widely planted, as are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (often combined in a Bordeaux blend). South African Chardonnay, Chenin and Sauvignon Blanc have become popular internationally in recent years.

Paarl


Paarl is one of South Africa's most famous wine regions. Situated inland from Cape Town and just north of Stellenbosch, it is home to some of the Western Cape's best-known wineries. The Paarl vineyards are located on the lower slopes of the Paarl Rock, on the northern slopes of the Simonsberg mountain and in the valley of the Berg river. Both mountains provide well-drained granite and shale soils for vines. Paarl's climate is relatively warm compared to the more coastal areas of the Western Cape. Long, hot summers and cold, rainy winters are typical of the region.

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