Slow Chenin Blanc 2022

The False Bay Slow Chenin Blanc grapes come from old vines in the Swartland and Stellenbosch regions. Old vines are essential for achieving remarkable Chenin and although Swartland is not as coastal as many of the vineyards used for False Bay wines, it is an area where quality old vines are found. Fortunately, the region's old vines produce naturally low yields and maintain good acidity although the heat is stronger and less swept by sea winds. The wines are made by Waterkloof's talented young cellar manager, Nadia Barnard . The grapes are harvested by hand , fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts in stainless steel vats then left in contact with the lees for at least 10 months before bottling. No input is added other than sulfur as a preservative. The wine is lively and reveals aromas of melon , apple , peach , pear , lemon , beeswax , fresh bread , anise and dried herbs . The palate is round and delicious, accompanied by moderate acidity and a mineral and herbaceous finish.

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.