Kanu Chenin Blanc 2006

Wine Spectator Score: 85/100
Pale straw colour. A nose of tropical fruit and summer melon with a hint of spice. Crisp and full bodied, the papaya and pineapple flavours ensure a lingering aftertaste.

Serve at 12 – 15°C. An ideal summer wine to be enjoyed with salads, char-grilled artichokes in olive oil or platters of ripe summer fruit. Also matches fresh line fish and light, cream-based pastas. A perfect picnic wine.

variety : Chenin Blanc [ 88.8% Chenin Blanc, 6% Sauvignon Blanc, 5.2% Chardonnay ]
winery : Kanu Wines
winemaker : Richard Kershaw
wine of origin : Coastal
analysis : alc : 13.41 % vol  rs : 6.3 g/l  pH : 3.22  ta : 6.2 g/l  so2 : 131 mg/l  fso2 : 49 mg/l  
type : White  style : Dry  body : Full  taste : Fruity  
pack : Bottle  

AWARDS
Kanu Chenin Blanc Wooded 1999 awarded the coveted title of 'Chenin Blanc Champion 2001' as featured in the SA Wine Magazine's Chenin Blanc Challenge; voted the 'Diners Club Winemaker of the Year 2002' with the Kanu Chenin 2001; and, believe or not, the 'Chenin Blanc Challenge 2002' was won again by Kanu in 2002, for Kanu Chenin Blanc Wooded 2000.
2000 Vintage: Top 10 Tri Nations Challenge 2003 (Other White Wines).
2001 Vintage: **** : reviewed SATWS 2002; ***(*) SA Wine Magazine - February 2002 issue; Silver medal at the Fairbairn Capital SA Trophy Wine Show 2002.
2002 Vintage : Gold at the Michelangelo Awards 2002.
2003 Vintage: Silver at the SANWS Young Wine Show 2003; Silver at the Michelangelo Awards 2003; 87/100 Best Buy USA Wine Spectator; ***(*) in John Platter. Bronze medal at the Fairbairn Capital Trophy Wine Show 2004. Gold Status at the Rendez-Vous du Chenin 2004 in France.
2004 Vintage: 90/100 Best Buy in USA Wine Enthusiast - November 2005 edition
2005 Vintage: 4 stars in John Platter; Wine Spectator Score: 87/100
2006 Vintage: Wine Spectator Score: 85/100

ageing : Drinking well now but will gain in complexity with bottle maturation for up to 4 years.

in the vineyard : Area: Koelenhof
Soil Type: Decomposed Malmesbury Shale
Age of vines: On average 20 years
Trellising: Bush vines
Vine Density: 3 500 vines / ha
Yield: 6 tonnes per hectare
Irrigation: Yes, some.

about the harvest: Picking date: 25 January - 6 March 2006
21 – 25.8°B for Chenin Blanc and 18.4 – 21.4°B for the Sauvignon Blanc 22.7 – 24.6ºB for the Chardonnay
Acidity: Various
pH at harvest: Various
Total production: 6700 x 12 cases

in the cellar : The grapes were hand picked from low yielding bush vines, averaging 20 years for the Chenin Blanc and 21 years for the Sauvignon Blanc. The vineyards are optimally situated at two to three hundred meters above sea level in the prime Koelenhof area in Stellenbosch. After being lightly crushed the grapes were allowed skin contact for 2 – 4 hours after which the free run and pressed juices were separated. The free run juice was cold fermented at 12 - 15°C. Part of the pressed juice underwent natural fermentation and the remainder was inoculated with a select yeast culture. Reductive winemaking techniques were used to ensure minimal contact with oxygen, thus preserving fruit character.
Fermentation temperature: 12 - 16°C
Wood ageing: None

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