Fleur du Cap Chenin Blanc 2005 named “Super Chenin”
Wednesday, 8 March, 2006
GC Communications
Fleur du Cap has secured its position as one of South Africa’s leading Chenin blanc producers for the second year in a row with its 2005 vintage elevated to Super Chenin status by the Chenin Blanc Association.
Its predecessor, the prized Fleur du Cap Chenin Blanc 2004, was ranked a Super Chenin in 2005.
Since 2001, the Chenin Blanc Association – representing the majority of producers in South Africa – established the classification of “Super Chenin” to give recognition to top Chenin Blanc producers that are consistent in quality excellence.
The Association uses the outcome of the only independent and specialised Chenin Blanc competition – the WINE Magazine Chenin Blanc Challenge, where wines are tasted blind by a respected non-producer panel – as its platform to select these outstanding Chenin blancs.
Super Chenins are wines that have earned a total of ten or more stars in three consecutive vintages. This year, only twelve Chenin Blancs were capped with Super Chenin status by the Association.
The grapes for the 2005 Chenin Blanc were handpicked from vineyards in Stellenbosch, including the Bottelary, Helderberg and Simonsberg regions. Its wood integration is sublime due to the four-month ageing period in new American and French oak with regular stirring of the lees to enhance the flavour.
“This full-bodied and complex wine shows an abundance of pineapple and peach flavours on the nose, whilst the palate unleashes delicate spices, butterscotch and vanilla with an excellent balance between fruit and wood flavours,” is how winemaker Kobus Gerber describes the wine.
Fleur du Cap has earned repute for its Chenin blancs and all previous vintages have been recognised as having all the complexities and elegance of a fine Chenin blanc. Fleur du Cap’s lightly wooded Chenin Blanc 2002 and 2004 Chenin Blanc both scooped Double Gold medals at the 2004 Veritas Awards, whilst the 2003 Chenin Blanc won a Gold medal. The 2003 vintage was also selected as one of the wines showing “Great Expressions of Chenin” at the 2004 Rendez-vous du Chenin in Loire, France. Its forerunner, Fleur du Cap Chenin Blanc 2002, clinched four stars at the 2004 WINE Magazine TOPS at SPAR Chenin Blanc Challenge and was honoured at the 2003 Rendez-vous du Chenin.
“New technology and competition with other white cultivars has awakened a new interest in the potential of Chenin blanc worldwide. With the dedication of the winemakers this grape variety has truly made its mark in the local as well as international market,” said winemaker Kobus Gerber.
“Chenin blanc is adaptable to all climatic regions in South Africa. It does not have a typical grape orientated character and its young wine character is mainly the result of the fruity fermentation formed esters. A number of high quality Chenin Blanc wines that are produced show diverse styles dominated by aromas of granadilla, pineapple, melon, peach, dried fruit and apricot. Fermentation temperatures, selection of yeast strains and maturation in oak barrels add complexity to the wine aromas and also play an important role in the quality of new wine styles,” Gerber added.
The superb Fleur du Cap Chenin Blanc 2005 retails at around R36 per bottle and is available at leading wine outlets.