The Breedekloof Makers, a new collaborative partnership of wine cellars, are focusing on Chenin Blanc as the signature brand of the Breedekloof Wine Valley. At the media launch of the initiative at True Italic in Cape Town in early August, “the purveyors of Chenin Blanc” unveiled a dozen flagship versions which express the versatility of “the varietal which has found its true home in this region”.
The Breedekloof Chenin Blanc Initiative focuses on innovative winemaking methods and the expression of terroir, especially older vineyards, ideally suited to Chenin. Winemaker Attie Louw of Opstal, a seventh generation family estate, comments, “Why Chenin? There is a buzz about Chenin, a growing demand. Chenin is ‘die boer se kultivar’. We’ve identified the best sites - the hidden gems - mostly grown on low trellised vines … like bush vines on steroids. The common thread is clarity of fruit”.
Staking a claim as Chenin country makes perfect sense for the Breedekloof Wine Valley. The variety is well-established in this mountainous gateway set between Rawsonville and Worcester. Chenin is the most planted variety in the valley - in an area which represents 16% (2 784 ha) of all Chenin plantings in the national vineyard - and supplies 21% or one-fifth of all wine made from Chenin in South Africa. While new plantings are underway, the twelve members of Breedekloof Makers are making their new Chenin flagships from prized vineyards ranging from 26 to 35 years old.
De Wet Lategan, family cellar master at Bergsig Estate, highlighted the unique topography of the Breedekloof Wine Valley. “Our USP is we’re a catchment area for nine rivers. We have a great diversity of soils from the alluvial valley floor to peat, pebbles and deep red clay. I also regard the human influence as part of the terroir - more than 80% of the Breedekloof is third generation or older up to nine generations.”
Strategically located at the gateway to the Western Cape, alongside the last stretch of the N1 before the Huguenot Tunnel, the cellars on the Breedekloof wine route are well-positioned to gain from the huge wine tourism footprint on the national highway. The valley has built its brand around the attractions of the great outdoors - fly-fishing, mountain biking, hiking and horse trails - as well as its legendary sweet wines in its annual “soetes and sop” festival. The biggest producers - Du Toitskloof Winery, the gateway to the route, as well as cellars such as Botha, Deetlefs, uniWines (a big FairTrade export brand) and Slanghoek - are household brands at home and abroad.
The tasting of the 2014 and 2015 vintages of Chenin unveiled by the Breedekoloof Makers showcased the versatility of the variety and winemaking styles which combined bush vine sites, clones, natural yeast, diverse fermentations, old and new wood regimes. The association has released a special booklet Breedekloof: Valley of the slow-ripening vines. The stand-out wines for me at the tasting (in alpha order) were: Bergsig Reserve 2014, Breeland 2014, Deetlefs Reserve 2014, Lateganskop Zahir 2014, Merwida 2014, Opstal Carl Everson 2014 and Stofberg Mariette 2015. Breedekloof should release a mixed case of its dozen flagship Chenin Blancs.
I enjoyed another fine Chenin tasting recently at the twentieth anniversary lunch of Kleine Zalze at Terroir. Chenin is the signature white variety at this Stellenbosch cellar which makes four tiers of the variety in different styles from its bush vine Chenin - one of the best buys on any wine list - to its reserve Zalze, black label barrel-fermented Chenin and Family Reserve Chenin (winner of best overall white wine at Concours Mondial 2015). Paired to an incredible dish of prawn, corn and basil risotto from the kitchen of chef Michael Broughton, Kleine Zalze Chenin Blanc from the 2010, 2012 and 2015 vintages brought out the piquant citrus, stone fruit, pear and quince qualities of the variety which makes it such a great, versatile food wine.
Cellar master Alastair Rimmer comments, “Kleine Zalze has become well-known for Chenin Blanc. The core of our fruit will always be Stellenbosch. We find good fruit and let the site sing fresh and clean. We’re seeing a distinct evolution of our Chenin style to a wine with bright flinty minerality with an apricot character and rich, viscous texture. We’re understanding the terroir of our vines - the decomposed granite soils”.
The blending power of Chenin Blanc was also showcased at a tasting of new releases by Bosman Family Vineyards at the Shortmarket Club, chef Luke Dale-Roberts brand-new venture in downtown Cape Town. Petrus Bosman and Natasha Williams showcased the 2015 vintage of their flagship Adama White (a Chenin-led blend of Chardonnay, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Semillon and Pinot Gris) and Adama Red (an assemblage of six Rhône varieties). Bosman’s Optenhorst Chenin Blanc has become a benchmark for a serious treatment of the variety, the wooded expression of a 64 year-old single vineyard planted in 1952. Bosman also makes one of a handful of sparkling Chenin Blancs in the Cape - their MCC Classique Steen - while the De Bos Walker Bay Chenin Blanc is one of the best value-for-quality versions of the variety around.
Winemaker Natasha Williams concludes, “We get fantastic fruit quality from our Wellington vineyards - and fresh acidity from our cool-climate vineyards in Walker Bay. We try to bring out the exceptional quality of each variety in the Adama blends”.
Other exciting new Chenin initiatives in 2016 are the introduction of #DrinkChenin day - a campaign intended to raise the profile of Chenin Blanc among consumers through events from featured pours, bottles and flights of Chenin at restaurants and wine shops and special tastings. And on the #InnerCityWineRoute, a midweek wine tasting adventure in Cape Town at hip inner city venues, Chenin Blanc and its winemakers was showcased by the CBA during April, May and June this year.
According to the Chenin Blanc Assocation (CBA), South Africa has more plantings of Chenin than the rest of the world combined - and of our Chenin plantings of 17 934 hectares, 6 468 ha are older than 20 years. Domestic sales of Chenin have increased steadily by some 48% since 2010 across multiple price points - while exports of Chenin have more than doubled over five years from 19 463 833 litres in 2000 to 43 657 744 litres in 2014, led by Germany, the UK and Sweden as the biggest markets.
“This grape variety is produced in a range of styles, reflecting diverse terroirs and the versatile nature of the grape,” says CBA Chairman and Chenin king winemaker Ken Forrester. “Chenin offers wine lovers the body and texture they enjoy, as well as an aromatic generosity and freshness. We believe Chenin Blanc has the ability to be our national flagship. With an increase in new plantings, a new enthusiasm for this variety is clear. And with older vines proving their worth and winemakers now more than ever in touch with Chenin, the future of Chenin Blanc is extremely exciting.”
The Chenin Blanc Association started a research project in late 2014 to investigate the quality and sensory aspects of older vines. This ongoing project also focuses on the characteristics of specific vineyard blocks, the effects of viticultural and winemaking practices, and in-depth chemical profiling of old vine Chenin Blanc wines and components associated with mouthfeel and aroma. Other research aspects include multicultural wine quality perception profiling; and an investigation into consumer perceptions, familiarity and consumption of different Chenin Blanc wine styles.
Next up on the Chenin agenda is the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge upcoming at Delaire Graff Estate on 24 August. Delaire’s new Swartland Reserve Chenin 2015, whole bunch pressed and barrel-fermented in large and small barrels from old bush vines, should be a serious contender. Also watch out for Le Sueur Chenin Blanc 2015, a stylish new natural barrel fermented Chenin made by Louis Le Sueur van der Riet of De Krans in Calitzdorp. The Chenin Kings ride again.