For me, Chenin blanc is the most exciting and most distinctive white grape variety from South Africa. With around 19,000 hectares, it occupies twice as much vineyard area there as in its original home country of France.
Unfortunately, there are many unremarkable Chenins on the market, but the Swartland Chenin from David and Nadia Sadie is not one of the dull ones.
Although it is “only” the entry-level wine of the estate – it is pretty serious. The grapes are from vines that were planted in 1985 and are managed organically.
They are fermented spontaneously with indigenous yeasts and then matured for ten months in used oak. 2018 vintage is perfect for drinking now: fresh with very straightforward lemon, pear, melon, hay, dried flowers and some lanolin: good length and a lot of creaminess on the palate.
