After good winter rains in 2018, the 2019 Swartland grape harvest looked extremely promising for most of the growing season, but dramatic weather changes in February kept vintners on their toes. All grapes for the Chenin Blanc 2019 were handpicked at optimal ripeness and brought to the cellar in 20kg lug picking bins. They were pressed as whole bunches using a very slow and gentle pressing cycle and left to settle for 24-48 hours. The juice was then racked to a fermentation tank and inoculated with commercial yeast. After the onset of fermentation, the must was moved to different fermentation vessels, including 225-litre and 300-litre barrels for texture and aroma, 400-litre Clayvers to preserve fresh acidity and precise minerality, and 3,000-litre Foudres to bring roundness and protect natural fruit freshness. The cellar crew nurtured the wine with regular topping and batonnage during a 10-month maturation period. The wine was then blended and lightly filtered before bottling in May 2020. Bottled at 13.5%. (Bottle size 750ml)

Nose: Fresh fruit aromas, in particular Bosc Pear and apples. Elegant floral notes of cape mountain fynbos with a whiff of warm baking spices.

Palate: Beautiful fruit purity on entry with tantalizing flavours of pears, quince and apples. Mid-palate reveals a beautiful richness that coats the palate elegantly, giving the wine great mouthfeel.

Finish: Bright acidity balances out the wine, keeping it focused. Medium finish with lingering notes of nuts, warm baking spices and a crisp quinine dryness.

Water is life, and nowhere more so than South Africa. Dalkeith (DAAL-keith) is the passion project from Cape Town native Graham Weerts, named for the Dalkeith watering hole in the Kgalagadi (hala-hadi) Transfrontier Park. Graham was inspired to craft this new offering after falling in love with a very special block of the Kalmoesfontein (cal-moose-fawn-tain) Vineyard in the Swartland region. These dryland bush vines were planted on decomposed granite more than 50 years ago, and today, they produce some of the purest and most remarkable Chenin Blanc fruit of the region. Like the Dalkeith watering hole, this wine brings life to the community and creates a sustainable future for all those involved.

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