Chenin Blanc Klippenkop, 2017/18
An appealing light straw colour. Full bodied wine with powerful varietal flavours of pineapple, granadilla, melon and green apple. Good structure with lovely balancing acidity.
Moulin Touchais, AC Coteaux du Layon, 1971
Deep orange gold. This has an attractive and complex baked apple nose with hints if spice and caramel. The palate is complex, powerful and concentrate and is distinguished by the high level of acidity. Highly textured, with a russet-apple and quince like presence, this is still positively youthful.It has been preserved by the acidity and will continue to hold for years to come. It deserves to be in the cellar of all true Chenin lovers.
Moulin Touchais, AC Coteaux du Layon, 1996
Polished, deep yellow-gold. The nose is muted and withdrawn, we suspect this showed some reduction in its youth, but has since emerged. The palate is light on entry but builds well to a relatively powerful finish. There is some complexityhare, with the wine developing some calvados like flavours.
The Winery of Good Hope – Bush Vine Chenin Blanc, 2017
Wonderfully lively, intense, fruity and beautifully balanced dry Chenin Blanc. With flavours of pears, sherbet and flint there is plenty of leesy mouthfeel and purity of fruit, whilst finishing with a refreshing lime and mineral length.
As the name suggests, this wine is the product of old bush vines, principally in the Helderberg area of Stellenbosch. They grow on extensively decomposed granite soils, situated on ocean-facing, gravelly slopes that are exposed to cooling sea breezes.
This Chenin is packed with vibrant, taut acidity, bags of fresh citrus fruit and beautiful, ripe texture – though mineral and restrained on the finish. These magnificently resilient, sturdy, old bush vines seem to produce impeccable fruit, year after year.
Vouvray, Domaine de Pouvray, 1990
Great aromas of lemon zest and fresh flowers, this has the mature, burnished feel you’d expect from a 1990, with excellent cut to its candied citrus, chamomile and dried pineapple flavors. Long, stony finish, alluring smoky hint.
Vouvray, Domaine de Pouvray, 2002
With a white-truffled nose and sublime honeyed fruit, Pouvray’s 2002 is the epitome of great aged Chenin. The sweetness integrates seamlessly into a core of fruit on the palate and the acidity remains refreshing. This has been well worth the 14 year wait.