2025 Olifantsberg Old Vine Chenin Blanc

Less than an hour's drive from Cape Town, in the heart of the South African Breedekloof wine region, lies Olifantsberg Family Vineyards. This small, five-hectare winery has been owned by the Dutch Leeuwerik family since 2003. The Olifantsberg vineyards are situated on the slopes of the Brandwacht Mountains. Thanks to the high altitude and the almost constant wind, there is a cool microclimate. Ideal conditions for the production of top-quality grapes! Work in the vineyard is carried out with respect for nature. The vines are organically fertilized, and yields in the vineyard are deliberately kept low. All this with the aim of harvesting optimally ripe, healthy, and concentrated grapes of high quality. After the manual harvest, these grapes are taken to the newly built vinification cellar. Here too, winemaker and vineyard expert Elizma Visser lets nature do its work. After crushing the grapes, a traditional skin maceration follows, and the grapes are fermented. Subsequently, they are aged in oak barrels, approximately one-third of which are renewed annually. As a result, the Olifantsberg wines are perfectly balanced, with beautifully dosed oak in aroma and taste.

This white wine from Olifantsberg is a wonderful, pure 100% Chenin Blanc. This wine is made in collaboration with farmers from Breedekloof who share a love for Chenin. Paul Leeuwerik sought out farmers in Breedekloof with very old Chenin Blanc vines, and after careful research, a number of old vineyards situated on slate terroirs were selected to produce this beautiful and, above all, very pure Chenin Blanc. Natural fermentation was carried out in a combination of 2,000L Foudres (used barrels), allowing the wine to age Sur Lie (i.e., on its own lees) for a period of 9 months. Since the 2021 vintage, Elizma Visser (the winemaker) has worked exclusively with grapes from old vines, hence the addition of "Old Vine" in the title.

The Olifantsberg Chenin Blanc Old Vine Vatgegis has a light yellow color with a hint of green. The Chenin Blanc has a delightfully fresh nose of lime, grapefruit, and mango. On the palate, this white wine from Olifantsberg has a deliciously juicy, crisp, dry taste of citrus fruit. The wine is medium-bodied and is perfectly drinkable now, but can also easily be cellared for a few more years and will become even finer with some aging. As far as we are concerned, one of the finest Chenin Blancs in this price range and incomparable to mass-produced Chenins, and as Platter says: " ageworthy".