Old vine Chenin Blanc taste-off
By Christian Eedes, 16 January 2023
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The Gaiduks of Ukraine took ownership of Knorhoek on the Simonsberg in 2019 having previously acquired its neighbour Quoin Rock in 2012. The two properties now have the same production team, with Nico Walters, previously of Rustenberg, as viticulturist and Schalk Opperman, previously of Lammershoek, as winemaker.
Chenin Blanc will be a particular focus at Knorhoek going forward – there is a 10ha block planted in 1980 and the team recently got André Morgenthal of the Old Vine Project to facilitate a tasting which would allow them to benchmark their version against some other leading examples.
Fifteen wines were tasted blind in five flights of three, these roughly arranged according to style by Morgenthal. It was a particularly useful exercise in that the line-up included many wines that never get tasted blind – how good are the likes of Badenhorst, David & Nadia and Sadie when you don’t have a view of the label to sway your judgment?
The flights were as follows:
Flight One
1. Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Limited Release 2021
2. Old Road Wine Co. StoneTrail Single Vineyard 2019
3. Knorhoek 2021
Flight Two
1. Cape of Good Hope Van Lill 2021
2. Roodekrantz Die Kliphuis 2021
3. David & Nadia Single Vineyard Plat’bos 2021
Flight Three
1. A.A Badenhorst Family Wines The Golden Slopes 2021
2. Lammershoek Reserve 2018
3. Daschbosch Mossiesdrift Steen 2021
Flight Four
1. Brookdale Single Vineyard 2020
2. Kaapzicht The 1947 2020
3. Sadie Family Wines Die Ouwingerdreeks Mev. Kirsten 2020
Flight Five
1. Kruger Family Wines Old Vines 2020
2. Naudé Old Vines 2020
3. Stellenbosch 1679 Bush Vine 2019
I ranked the wines as follows (scores according to the 100-point quality system alongside):
1. Sadie Family Wines Die Ouwingerdreeks Mev. Kirsten 2020 – 97
2. Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Limited Release 2021 – 96
3.= Cape of Good Hope Van Lill 2021 – 95
3.= Knorhoek 2021 – 95
5.= A.A Badenhorst Family Wines The Golden Slopes 2021 – 94
5.= Daschbosch Mossiesdrift Steen 2021 – 94
7. David & Nadia Single Vineyard Plat’bos 2021 – 93
8.= Kruger Family Wines Old Vines 2020 – 92
8.= Old Road Wine Co. StoneTrail Single Vineyard 2019 – 92
8.= Roodekrantz Die Kliphuis 2021 – 92
8.= Stellenbosch 1679 Bush Vine 2019 – 92
12. Brookdale Single Vineyard 2020 – 91
13.= Kaapzicht The 1947 2020 – 90
13.= Naudé Old Vines 2020 – 90
15. Lammershoek Reserve 2018 – 89
Knorhoek can be immensely pleased with the outcome of this tasting, its wine placing joint third alongside Cape of Good Hope Van Lill 2021 from Anthonij Rupert Wyne and behind Mev. Kirsten 2020 from Sadie Family Wines in first place and Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Limited Release 2021 in second, this wine the Prescient best in category and best white wine overall last year.
Tasting note for the Knorhoek 2021 as follows:
Matured in a combination of concrete eggs and a combination of first- and second-fill 500-litre barrels for seven months. Complex aromatics of pear, peach, citrus, herbs and hay as well as a hint of leesy character while the palate shows dense fruit, punchy acidity and a savoury finish. Focused and still very tight at this stage. Price: R180 a bottle.
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Gareth | 19 January 2023
Really interesting post – the results are fascinating.
I think it’s telling to see Mev Kirsten at the top of the list, even tasted blind. Clearly this wine is something extraordinary indeed, although the average consumer will probably never get to drink it as it’s near impossible to find and exceptionally expensive to buy on the secondary market. I feel grateful to have an allocation.
However it’s clear that there is some stupendously good value to be had in this category, and it warms my heart to see something so unique to South Africa as old vine cape-style chenin blanc excelling and exciting.
Thanks very much for this, I have bought a case of the Bellingham and one of the Knorhoek on the strength of your review notes.
Jean_Luc | 17 January 2023
1942: Sadie Family Wines Die Ouwingerdreeks Mev. Kirsten 2020
Is this correct the back label says 1905-1920?
Some vines have been replaced/replanted since production 10 years ago was less than 1000 bottles vs 4000 bottles nowadays.
In all cases, having tasted the last 10 vintages, the last two vintages are just outstanding together with the 2014.
In fact, it seems to get better every year !
Christian Eedes | 18 January 2023
Hi Jean Luc, According to Eben Sadie, the vineyard was originally planted in 1905 and then extended at various points. In 1942, tractors arrived in SA for the first time and every second row of the vineyard was removed in order to accommodate their movement – this is the last date that SAWIS has on file. Sadie says he wants punters to concentrate on the quality of the end-wine, rather than being obsessed with when vineyards went into the ground…
Mike Froud, Top Wine SA | 17 January 2023
Thank you. Interesting that the vines are over 50 years old in quite a few instances!
Mike Froud, Top Wine SA | 16 January 2023
Please can you tell us the age of the vines in respect of each of these ‘old vine’ Chenins?
Christian Eedes | 17 January 2023
Hi Mike, Planting dates from oldest to youngest (information supplied by Old Vine Project):
1942: Sadie Family Wines Die Ouwingerdreeks Mev. Kirsten 2020
1947: Kaapzicht The 1947 2020
1960: Daschbosch Mossiesdrift Steen 2021
1966, 1968: Lammershoek Reserve 2018
1968: A.A Badenhorst Family Wines The Golden Slopes 2021
1971: Naudé Old Vines 2020
1971, 1982, 1983: Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Limited Release 2021
1977: Kruger Family Wines Old Vines 2020
1977: Roodekrantz Die Kliphuis 2021
1978: Knorhoek 2021
1981: David & Nadia Single Vineyard Plat’bos 2021
1982: Stellenbosch 1679 Bush Vine 2019 (Koelenhof)
1983: Cape of Good Hope Van Lill 2021
1984: Old Road Wine Co. StoneTrail Single Vineyard 2019
1985: Brookdale Single Vineyard 2020