Thursday 22 August 2019

Six Bottles Of Chenin Blanc From South Africa


Håkan C arranged a really interesting tasting recently in our monthly tasting group. Tasted double blind, no one was even close guessing the grape and origin...

2015 Magnetic North, Alheit
A cool, sligthly grassy nose with notes of dried honey, rubber and gravel. Light and fine.
The taste is cool and rather elegant with notes of gravel, green table grapes and a touch of grass. A good acidity. Light.
87p   (tasted 2019/08)


2015 Radio Lazarus, Alheit
A cool fresh nose with notes of dried tropical fruit, birch leaves and gravel. Very, very good.
The taste is light and energetic with notes of dry melon, grass and chrushed rocks. A very fine acidity. Very fine.
90p   (tasted 2019/08)

2016 Granite, Mullineux
A finely tuned, refined nose with lovely yellow fruit, expensive soap, dried apricots and wet asphalt. Complex and fine. A kiss of oak.
The taste is tight and ligthly buttery with notes of yellow apples, dried honey, hay and minerals. A lovely wine.
92p   (tasted 2019/08)


2016 Quartz, Mullineux
Best in show. This beauty displays a handsome, crisp nose with notes of white peach, earth, matchbox and herbs. Distinct and very fine.
The taste is racy and fresh with notes of peaches, red apples, birch sap and earth. A very fine acidity. Very long.
93p   (tasted 2019/08)

2016 Chenin Blanc, Reyneke
A big, outgoing nose with notes of dry botrytis, autumn yellow apples. moist earth and glue. Became more refined with air, but still a bit to clumsy.
The taste is high and dry with lots of concentration but a bit unbalanced. Ripe yellow fruit, rubber and a hint of oak. Maybe time will help?
85p   (tasted 2019/08)


2016 Mev. Kirsten, Sadie Family
A deep, fine nose with notes of yellow summer flowers, birch leaves, warm gravel and linoleum. Very, very good.
The taste is full bodied and tight with notes of passion fruit, gravel, autumn leaves and sweet minerals. Long and juicy.
88p   (tasted 2019/08)

4 comments:

  1. I follow you since lots of time and always love your comments. I share with you the passion for very old wines, so always enthusiastic to read you when you comment them.
    About these Chenin Blanc you dont seem very enthusiastic right? also considering the price point (I think there are ALL 50+ Euro) probably are not worth right?? I bought a few from Sadie and Alheit and hope will not regret it.......

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    1. Thanks for the comments! The wines from Mullineux I would buy, but not the others. And you´re right, they cost between 50-70 Euros, not really worth that tariff.

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    2. I completely agree with Joakim, I will refill on the Mullineux and maybe Radio Lazarus which I enjoyed more than he did. However, 100+ € for Mev Kirsten is a little bit too expensive, even though some think it will improve with a little bit higher bottle age.

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  2. Thanks for the feedback guys. Will open the bottles I have then but maybe not keep buying them.....my plan was in any case to age them a little while.....we will see.....

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