Chenin Blanc Swartland

Damascene is about using flavours and aromas to describe places that are special to us. So it’s not too surprising that this Swartland Chenin opens with a touch of Swartland sunshine, expressed through notes of spiced peach cobbler, fynbos, Seville orange, and pineapple. On the palate, there is a splendid melange of mandarin and nectarine, tempered by hints of cardamom spice. The acidity on this wine really is pristine; expressed through vibrant citrus juiciness. The more forthcoming fruit elements are countered with a smart, bitter snap of white grapefruit, and a puff of white pepper spice, which really makes for a fascinating finish.

The Swartland winter of 2023 was not quite as cold as it needed to be, which hampered vine dormancy a little. Following on from the warmer winter, December and January also had their share of hot days. Bush vines tend to absorb terrestrial radiation more than trellised vines, especially on granitic soils, so it was no surprise that our picking teams set to work a little earlier than usual. We started picking on 01st February, and the last bunch was in the cellar by lunch on 9th February.

Given the size of the Swartland appellation, it’s understandable that there is a fairly wide array of expressions when it comes to Chenin Blanc. However, it should be noted that this wine focuses solely on the beauty of Chenin Blanc grown on granite; from two sites on the Paardeberg. Both vineyards are roughly 37km from the West Coast. The first site is situated on a hilltop on the northwestern extreme of the Paardeberg, and was planted in two phases; the first being in 1971, and the second in 1979. These outcrops of decomposed granite were forced to the surface by dolomite extrusions many years ago. It contributes to a sense of tension and acidic grip in the final wine. The second vineyard, Jakkalsfontein, was established in 1983, on a north-facing slope. It features old bush vines, planted on fairly stony decomposed granite. This rocky subsoil carries generous depth, below which is a water-retentive layer of clay.

After being harvested by hand, grapes were chilled overnight at 8˚C. In the cellar, whole clusters were sorted and pressed with a delicate champagne-cycle, and then allowed to settle overnight. The juice was transferred to 1000L oval Austrian oak foudres for fermentation.
Lighter, more fluid lees elements were retained in the juice during fermentation, significantly increasing turbidity levels. No enzymes were added during pressing, and minimal sulphur was used throughout vinification. Only native yeasts were involved in the making of our wines, and most of the batches only saw sulphur for the first time just before bottling in January.
This wine features some truly outstanding natural acidity, so we prevented malolactic conversion, as this would only serve to obscure that brightness. We also refrained from any batonnage (for the same reason). The final wine was matured “sur lie” for 11 months in 1000L oval Austrian oak vats at 6-8˚C.

This wine will be at its most expressive within three to five years of vintage but, with careful cellaring, will continue to evolve and improve for more than a decade. With extended bottle ageing, expect tertiary flavours to intensify, showing the true quality of old vine Chenin Blanc.

Total production: 2970 x 750ml and 85 x 1.5L

Bottling date: 10 January 2024

Alc: 13.26 % Vol

pH: 3.34

TA: 5.7 g/L

RS: 2.6 g/L