Old Vine Chenin Blanc

Tropical and stone fruit flavours are complemented by a vibrant burst of lemon zest, with a subtle hint of minerality on the palate. Lightly oaked, the wine has a beautifully textured mouthfeel, balanced by fresh acidity and a lingering, fruit-driven finish. An elegant expression of Chenin Blanc, it is enjoyable now, but with careful cellaring, will develop gracefully over the next 3–5 years.

The grapes for this wine are sourced from carefully selected old-vine bush vineyards across the Western Cape, from the dryland vineyards of the Swartland and Piekenierskloof to the historic vineyards of Stellenbosch, where Kleine Zalze is based. These mature vines naturally produce smaller crops, delivering remarkable concentration, complexity and a strong sense of place.
The 2025–2026 growing season began with good winter rainfall and favourable conditions for vine development. A predominantly dry, moderate summer helped maintain healthy vines, while warm conditions later in the season accelerated ripening and contributed to excellent flavour concentration. Although February rainfall brought some additional vineyard challenges, the old Chenin Blanc vines proved remarkably resilient, producing fruit with impressive concentration, freshness and depth. The 2026 vintage is a true reflection of both site and vine age, showcasing the character and resilience of South Africa’s old Chenin Blanc vineyards.

The grapes were handpicked early in the morning and immediately crushed into holding tanks. We gave extended (12hours) skin contact to extract all the Chenin flavours to ensure good structure in the final wine. Only the free run juice was used and settled for 1 day before transferring to a combination of stainless-steel tanks, and 400L French oak barrels. No new barrels were used to ensure that unique characters of the specific terroirs were preserved in the wine. The use of stainless steel for fermentation ensures freshness and purity of fruit, where the barrels build texture and enhance the fruity notes in the wine. After fermentation the wine was aged on the primary lees for another 7 months before being prepared for bottling.