Stellenrust Chenin Blanc 54 (barrel fermented) 75cl 2018
South Africa, Stellenbosch
Chenin Blanc
Description
It’s extraordinarly expressive on the nose with a top note of honeysuckle before all kinds of citrus, white peach and a hint of pineapple plus some leesy complexity and a little spice. The palate has fantastic presence – wonderfully generous fruit matched by tangy acidity. A substantial wine that moves really well in the mouth, the finish long and savoury.
Certificates
Alcohol
13.7%
Analytical data
dry
Vinification
Careful attention to detail and cautious treatment of botrytis infected bunches were necessary during the 2015 vintage to keep the wine as delicately balanced as usual. Two harvests were performed in order to reach optimal ripeness, but still avoid over-ripeness and extraction. 2015 was characterised by increased botrytis levels. Grapes were thoroughly sorted, barrels selected and a production reduction of 21% was necessary to maintain quality levels. Grapes are harvested between 22 and 24 balling and the juice allowed to settle without enzymes over several days. The juice is then drawn off into a special selection of barrels and allowed to ferment naturally. Fermentation took just under 8 months to finish and the wine was kept on the fermentation lees for an additional 1 month.
Vineyard: Bottelary Hills
Grapes for this wine is harvested from a 50-year-old single vineyard of Chenin Blanc on the slopes of the Bottelary Hills, hence the number on the front of the bottle referring to the age of the vines in the year the wine was made.
Soil Type
50 year old bush vines from Bottelary property planted in ironstone.
Viticulture
Made from 50 year old vineyards. Our integrated pest management system has proven success for us. The source of natural measures allows us to use fewer chemicals in the vineyards.
Maturation
Time spent on lees in barrel: 9 months in oak: 90% French and 10% Hungarian oak.
Aromas
Taste
Food Pairing
This Chenin will compliment an array of dishes: from orange infused duck confit to lemon infused Norwegian salmon on a bed of creamed spinach and potato puree.
