Bosman Family Vineyards Optenhorst Chenin Blanc 2017

Coming into its own.

The Optenhorst Chenin Blanc from Bosman Family Vineyards comes from a Wellington vineyard planted in 1952, the third oldest in the country. It was on the verge of being uprooted in 2008 on account of it being low yielding, but the decision was instead taken to attempt a top-end wine from it. Vintages to date have been very good, the 2017 best to date so far.

This wine has an arresting nose with top notes of flowers and hay before naartjie, orange and stone fruit plus a little bee’s wax and roasted almond. The palate is marked by a great core of fruit and zippy acidity before a savoury finish. Fantastic mouthfeel being greasy but not too much so, that acidity nicely coated. This seems to have all the heft of its predecessors but also more detail. Plenty of personality and well worth seeking out. Price: R350 a bottle.

Editor’s rating: 93/100.

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