Kaapzicht The 1947 Chenin Blanc 2017

Well built.

For those taken with wines from old vines, then the 1947 Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch property Kaapzicht is particularly beguiling. Grapes come from a vineyard planted by current winemaker Danie Steytler Jnr’s great grandfather in 1947. The block has been registered as a single vineyard and it is the second oldest of this variety in the country. Originally 6ha in size, only 1ha of the very low yielding vineyard remains – total production in 2017 was 900 bottles.

The nose shows citrus, apple, stone fruit, quince and spice while the palate shows extraordinary richness and depth without sacrificing freshness – sweet, dense fruit upfront but the finish is entirely savoury. So of its place and perhaps that’s ultimately what makes these old-vine wines so compelling.

Editor’s rating: 95/100.

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