After an almost two-year hiatus, your sassy inner city wine column is back. In the intervening two years adventures have been had, tales have been told, and many many bottles of wine have been drunk. Not least among them is a gorgeous Chenin Blanc from Kaapzicht.
Chenin Blanc is an incredibly diverse white wine cultivar and, one could argue, South Africa’s premier grape varietal. Our range of climates and microclimates affords wine makers the freedom to create some truly exceptional expressions of this grape. Kaapzicht vineyards are mostly north facing so they get intense sun, but also the evening mist, thereby creating the ideal microclimate for a varietal such as Chenin Blanc. South African Chenin Blanc is generally internationally recognized for its punchy acidity, expressive minerality and alluring aromatics, with the Kaapzicht Chenin proving no exception
This family-run winery in Stellenbosch was bought by Major David Steytler in 1946 and his great grandson is the current winemaker. They planted their first Chenin Blanc vines in 1947 which are still surviving, making it the second oldest Chenin Blanc vineyard in South Africa. As is clearly evident, there is a long legacy of this grape on the historic farm.
The Kaapzicht Granietkop Chenin Blanc 2023 is produced exclusively for Woolworths and named ‘granietkop’ due to the large granite stones found in the vineyards. The grapes for this wine are hand harvested from bush vines that are unirrigated and planted in ancient granite soil. These vines endure the worst of the elements and no longer produce much tonnage – an average of around six tons per hectare compared to other winemaking varietals that can produce between 20 and 40 tons per hectare. The ethos for Kaapzicht is one of quality over quantity and it shines through in their wines. That doesn’t mean they come across as fussy or pretentious, however. If anything, Kaapzicht seem generously down to earth in their approach to wine and winemaking. As the current winemaker, Danie Steytler puts it, “If your wine is the first bottle that’s empty at a dinner table, you’re always doing well.”
With all that in mind, the Granietkop is a fruit forward wine that gives off stunning aromas of white peach and wild honey with faint notes of litchi and under-ripe yellow plums. Complemented by well-balanced acidity and a hint of oak from barrel aging to round it all off, this Chenin Blanc will certainly have you going back for more. I paired it with a herby, garlicky, Greek inspired chicken salad but it would hold up well with most fish or light pasta dishes. You will just wish it wasn’t over so quickly.
Kaapzicht Granietkop Chenin Blanc is produced exclusively for Woolworths and retails for R129,99. Vintages may change due to availability. This column is independent and not affiliated with Kaapzicht or Woolworths. Enjoy responsibly. Not for sale to persons under the age of 18.