Rhenosterbosrug Chenin Blanc

This wine will pair perfectly with the savoury notes of a herb-roasted chicken and root vegetables. The oily texture match well with the creamy flavours of a butternut squash and sage risotto. Its acidity and complex layers balance the richness of pan-seared duck breast with a peach glaze. The nutty, caramel flavours of mature Gouda complements the wine’s honey and stonefruit notes.

We believe wines are made in the vineyard. Careful vineyard selection is therefore key to our results. Very close relationships with growers ensure sustainable vineyard practices and deliver consistent quality in the bottle. The role of the viticulturist is to guide our growers to produce the best possible quality fruit. In the ideal world the role of our winemaking team is to capture the essence of the fruit in the bottle. We do not believe in heavily wooded wines and use of “New Oak”. For us a barrel is largely a very practically designed vessel to facilitate the development of the intrinsic qualities of the grapes. So, it is all about the grape. We have access to some of the finest certified old vineyard blocks (older than 35 years) in the Industry. This segment of our business is becoming particularly interesting and we strive to keep these vineyards in the ground.

Ideal mild weather conditions in the first part of the harvest, with early and mid-season cultivars reaching optimal ripeness at lower sugars. After the late February rains, intake of grapes at the right time was a challenge, with the ripening process being delayed by cold, rainy conditions.

Aged for 11 months in seasoned French oak barrels.

Grapes were carefully hand-picked over a 10-day period, at optimal ripeness of 21°B-22B. The first selection prioritized freshness, heightened natural acidity, and structural integrity, while the later selection emphasised mouthfeel and palate density. The grapes were gently crushed, pressed, and settled overnight. The juice was then transferred to older barrels for fermentation, with extended time on the fine lees for added texture and mouthfeel.