Landskroon Chenin Blancs 2015

Tuesday, 1 December, 2015
Michael Olivier
I always thought that calling Chenin Blanc The Workhorse of the South African Wine Industry, it gave it the grape a negative connotation. Chenin Blanc is the most widely planted wine grape in South Africa, in a vineyard 6 times larger than its. It is used for the finest dry Fino sherry style wines, for grape juice concentrate, for sparkling wines, potstill brandy and and and.

In the last few years, there has been a renewed interest in Chenin Blanc, particularly older wineyards, which one of the finest Cape Viticulturists, Rosa Kruger, has identified. These vineyards were not profitable in terms of crop taken off the vines and the prices paid by winemakers. Being encouraged by better prices, grape growers are paying tender loving care to these vineyards and as a result we have some pretty fine examples of Chenin Blanc on our shelves.

 The team at Landskroon, Paul de Villiers, 5th generation Cellarmaster and his Winemaker, the award winning Michiel du Toit have turned out two superb examples of 2015 Chenin Blanc, a dry and an off dry.

Given exemplary elevation in the cellar, the difference between these two is one of residual sugar. The 'dry' wine has residual sugar of up to 1.8 grams per litre and the 'off dry' has 8.1 grams per litre. The grapes for both of the wines were picked at the same readings at 22 Balling. After destalking and chrushing, the juice was allowed to run free. To this was added some light pressing juice and cool fermentation took place in the absence of oxygen. Fermentation was halted earlier for the off dry.

Both wines are medium of body and have lemon, peach and white flower notes. The Dry is crisp and fresh while the Off Dry is slightly more rounded and soft and has lovely flavours of Yellow Canary Melon.

They look like

Elegant Anthony Lane livery in a Bordeaux shaped bottle. IN the glass they are bright, pale gold with fresh lime green flashes.

They smell like

Classical Chenin Blanc aromas of guava, white flowers, fynbos honey.

They taste like

Both fine examples of Chenin. Full fruit flavours, the Dry crisp and refreshing with layers of fruit, the Off Dry a softer fuller flavour.

 They are good with

I always feel that Chicken and Chenin are perfect partners. With the advent of Christmas, there are many turkeys in the supermarket and the perfect chance now to try out your skills for Christmas Day. Phillippa Cheifitz, in her recently released book The Supper Club, has this stunning recipe, so simple and so perfect. Click here for her recipe.

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