Chenin Blanc Skin Contact 2022

Stone fruit and citrus pith with a hint of green cardamom and potpourri on the nose. Good fruit density, with the skin-contact providing texture and complexity. Ending on an intriguing maritime salinity, the zippy acidity provides potential for excellent ageing.

The grapes were sourced from bush vines over four decades old in the Firgrove region of Stellenbosch. Growing on decomposed granite soils and subjected to the maritime airflow off the Atlantic Ocean at False Bay, the vineyard was selected for its ability to grow grapes offering a superior expression of the site’s unique geography.

Fermented on the skins, a method more commonly associated with red wine production, the interaction between skin and fermenting juice elevated the profile of this white wine into a new stratosphere. Fermentation took place in Italian terracotta amphorae over a period of 7 days, where the skins were punched down only once a day to carefully control the extraction of tannin. After a pressing in an old, manual basket press, the wine matured for a further 9 months on the lees in amphorae before bottling.