Royal Chenin Blanc Old Vines Steen 2019

Babylons Peak Chenin Blanc is made from 100 percent Chenin Blanc.

Babylon's Peak winery, situated on the highest weathered granite slopes of the Paardeberg Mountain, is privately owned by the Basson family who has passed down the tradition, passion and art of winemaking over four generations. Predominantly low-yield dryland bushvines are selected to produce these excellent wines with distinctive character.

The Chenin Blanc grapes were picked from very old dryland bushvine vineyards. The vineyard grows on weathered granite soils, contributing to the flavor of the grapes and mineral character of the wine. Production is limited to 5 tons/ha.
The grapes were harvest by hand at 22.1°B. The grapes were destalked and lightly crushed. Only the first 450 litres free-run juice per ton were fermented in stainless steel tanks at a cold temperature (10-12°C) for 21 days. The wines was left on the fermentation lees until bottling.

A crisp, fresh and fruity Chenin Blanc from low-yield dryland bushvines.

Pairs with salads, seafood, chicken and other light dishes. The perfect wine for every occasion.

Review:

"This unwooded Chenin is made from a single vineyard of 38+ year old dry farmed bush vines planted on granitic soils. It offers a complex bouquet of minerals and tropical fruit with an herbal edge. The palate is crisp and mineral like with appealing guava fruit notes. Stephan aims for a fresh style, and he succeeds. One doesn’t typically age an inexpensive wine like this, but giving Chenin additional time in bottle often enhances complexity and richness. Stephan showed us a 2007 vintage of this wine, and it had evolved into a delicious, rich wine of honeyed peach and dried apricot. - Don Winkler" - i-winereview.com (The Wines of Babylon’s Peak in South Africa’s Swartland, September 30th 2019), 90 pts

A polished light yellow gold colour, this wine has a bouquet of citrus blossom with hazelnut, lemon grass and butterscotch undertones. The wine has a soft sweet entry with a racy linear acidity. Ripe citrus and stone fruit flavours evolve into a lovely lingering dry earthy finish. This is a textured white wine with layers of flavour.  

   Review:

"Subtle bouquet of orange blossom, cling peach, and beeswax. Taut and focused, revealing dried orange peel and apricot pit on a dense, mineral like palate. Sourced from the oldest vineyard on the farm, planted in 1971-2, it’s a selection of the best 500L barrels. About 250 cs produced. 13.5% alc."- International Wine Review (January 2019), 93 pts

"From vines planted at 250m next to the Blaauwklippen River back in 1971, this undemonstrative but utterly convincing Chenin needs a little time in the glass to unfold, like a fern in spring. When it does, you’ll find classic wet stone and apple aromas with a lick of honey. The palate is intense, deep and stony, subtle in articulation with a beeswax richness haunting its orchard fruit, while its vinosity brings food-friendliness. It's hard to better this for purity and classicism. Drinking Window 2019 - 2023."- Decanter (February 2019), 93 pts

SALE!

As the unofficial drink of the Riebeek Valley, the Pieter Cruythoff Chenin Blanc is the perfect every day wine that offers uncomplicated quality for the novice and connoisseur alike. Packed with upfront tropical fruit, the nose charms with an abundance of guava and gooseberries. The palate follows through with fruit flavors, balanced by a crisp acid to ensure a fresh and fruity style of wine.

Grapes came from both bosstok and trellised vines with some of the vineyards as old as 46 years. Fermentation was done at lower than usual temperatures to capture the fresh fruit flavors.

Enjoy well-chilled as a lovely crisp glass on its own, but ideal for al fresco dining and with light summer fare. Beautiful with salads, anti pasti and seafood. Very accessible and suited to almost every occasion, the Pieter Cruythoff Chenin Blanc never disappoints.

As the unofficial drink of the Riebeek Valley, the Riebeek Chenin Blanc is the perfect every day wine that offers uncomplicated quality for the novice and connoisseur alike.

Packed with upfront tropical fruit, the nose charms with an abundance of guava and gooseberries. The pallets follows through with fruit flavors, balanced by a crisp acid to ensure a fresh and fruity style of wine.

Grapes came from both bosstok and trellised vines with some of the vineyards as old as 46 years. Fermentation was done at lower than usual temperatures to capture the fresh fruit flavors.

Very accessible and suited to almost every occasion, the Riebeek Chenin Blanc never disappoints.

Tasting Notes: 
Ripe summer fruits of guava, apple and banana. The wine has a juicy mid palate with hints of stone fruit followed by a fresh clean finish on the palate.

Label Detail:
Nicknamed “Vastrap” ( meaning “trample”) after the style of music which unites Khoesan trance-dance with Dutch folk music. Played on any instrument such as concertinas, homemade violins, banjos and ‘blik-kitaars’. The traditional excuse for a Vastrap party was the trampling of a newly laid cow-dung floor; but the ancestors are said to have preferred the open air.

Enjoy it at any informal occasion, poolside or picnic. Pairs well with fish, chicken, salad or pizza.

Grape Varietals: Chenin Blanc
Style of Wine: Dry, fresh and fruity Chenin blanc
Vinification: The grapes where crushed, pressed and then settled overnight to obtain clear juice. The juice was then fermented at cool temperatures in stainless steel tanks to retain freshness and up front fruit flavors. A portion of the wine was fermented in old oak barrels to add a textural component to the blend.
Maturation: The wine was aged on the lees in stainless steel tanks for 6 months

Alcohol 13% Vol
Residual Sugar 3 g/l
Total Acidity 5.2 g/l
pH 3.46

Gaec de Brangers Menetou Salon Blanc 100% Sauvignon Blanc is crisp and refreshing with rich, ripe lime and grapefruit aromas. Elegant, beautifully rounded, harmonious and well-balanced, a mineral sytle and a smooth and long finish. It is ideal as an aperitif and a great match with shellfish, smoked and grilled salmon, goat cheese.
DOMAINE DU GAEC DES BRANGERS is owned by the CHAVET family, which is one of the most reknown winemaking families of the Menetou-Salon Appellation. Philippe Chavet has been running the estate for 25 years and each year, his cuvees are awarded in the international competitions and by the international press.

Unoaked

12.5 ABV

Average age of the vines is 20 years old. Traditional winemaking in temperature-controlled stainless steel tank.
Slow fermentation at low temperature.

Ideal as an aperitif, any cooked fish such as smoked and grilled salmon, and with goat cheese.

Review:

"The outstanding 2017 Menetou Salon Blanc (100% Sauvignon Blanc) is a winner. Lovely honeyed citrus, pear, and a kiss of rocky mineral-like notes all flow to a medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, juicy white that has all kinds of charm and character. It’s going to be incredibly versatile on the dinner table and is well worth seeking out."

- Jeb Dunnuck (March 27th 2019), 90 pts