2024 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.0%
Residual Sugar 5.8 g/L
pH 3.22
Total Acidity 7 g/L
Calories (estimated) 110 kcal / glass
150ml glass110 kcal
750ml bottle550 kcal
Grape Varieties Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc100%
Drinking Window up to 15 years
Classification Wine of Origin Stellenbosch
Region Stellenbosch
Soil Decomposed granite
Fermentation Vessels Stainless Steel, Oak Barrel, Terracotta Amphorae, Concrete Eggs
Maceration 0.5 days
Lees Aging 9 months
Oak Types French
Barrel Size 400 L
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details The Family Reserve Chenin Blanc 2024 was crafted from vineyards across different wards in Stellenbosch. The 2024 vintage is certified as originating from Heritage Vineyards, which consist mainly of bush vines. Canopies were suckered and tipped to maintain a cool microclimate around the bunches, preventing direct sun exposure and avoiding botrytis. Excellent winter rainfall in 2023 was followed by an extremely dry summer and accompanied by strong winds during flowering. This significantly affected fruit set in earlier cultivars such as Old Vine Chenin Blanc, resulting in lower yields. Unusually hot and dry conditions desiccated the topsoil to such an extent that the grapes ripened up to 14 days earlier than usual. The season was characterised by smaller bunches and berries, promising wines of remarkable flavour concentration. The different grape parcels were harvested separately between 20 and 22° Balling, with a deliberate decision to pick at slightly lower sugar levels in order to retain freshness in the final wine. The grapes arrived at the winery early in the mornings, where they were crushed into holding tanks, and underwent skin contact for 12–18 hours prior to settling. After just one day of settling, the slightly turbid juice was racked off its gross lees into a stainless-steel tank and inoculated with selected slow-fermenting yeast strains. It was then gravity-fed into 400 L French oak barrels, Italian terracotta amphorae, and concrete eggs for fermentation, with barrel-fermented wine making up 50% of the final blend. No new oak was used, to preserve the delicate flavours of Chenin Blanc. The wine spent a further nine months on the lees in the respective fermentation vessels and was bottled without fining or filtration.
Certifications Heritage Vineyards
Tasting Notes
Nose: white peach, citrus pith
Palate: mineral, floral
2023 Technical Specifications
Grape Varieties Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc100%
Drinking Window now or age up to 15 years
Region Stellenbosch
Soil Decomposed granite
Fermentation Vessels Oak Barrel, Terracotta Amphora, Concrete Egg, Stainless Steel
Maceration 0.5 days
Lees Aging 8 months
Oak Types French
Barrel Size 400L
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details The Family Reserve Chenin Blanc 2023 was crafted from different wards in Stellenbosch where vines grow mainly on decomposed granite soils, each contributing to the complexity of the wine. 2023, as in 2022, is also certified as made from Heritage Vineyards, which are predominantly bush vines. The canopy of the bush vines was suckered and tipped to ensure a cool microclimate around the bunches with no direct sun and without botrytis. The run-up to the season was characterized by a warm and dry winter and spring, resulting in drier than usual soil conditions at the onset of the growing season. This resulted in earlier bud-break and flowering, and as such also promising an earlier than usual harvest. The grapes were picked separately between 21 and 23°balling, reductively crushed and the resulting juice given 12-18 hours skin contact prior to settling. After only 1 day of settling, the slightly turbid juice was racked off its gross lees to a stainless-steel tank where it was inoculated with selected slow fermenting yeast strains. The juice was then gravity fed into 400L French oak barrels, Italian Terracotta Amphora and concrete eggs for fermentation, with 70% of the final blend made up of the barrel-fermented component. No new oak was used to preserve the delicate flavours of Chenin Blanc. The wine spent an extra 8 months on the lees in the respective fermentation vessels, with no fining or filtration before bottling.
Certifications Heritage Vineyards
Tasting Notes
white peach, citrus pith, mineral, floral
2022 Technical Specifications
Alcohol 13.5%
Residual Sugar 4 g/L
pH 3.35
Total Acidity 6.3 g/L
Calories (estimated) 115 kcal / glass
150ml glass115 kcal
750ml bottle575 kcal
Grape Varieties Chenin Blanc
Chenin Blanc100%
Drinking Window now or age up to 15 years
Region Stellenbosch
Soil Decomposed granite, Oakleaf, Duplex
Fermentation Vessels Stainless Steel Tank, Oak Barrel, Terracotta Amphora, Concrete Egg
Maceration 0.5 days
Lees Aging 8 months
Oak Types French
Barrel Size 400L French oak barrels, 500L Italian Terracotta Amphora
Unfined Yes
Unfiltered Yes
Production Details The Family Reserve Chenin Blanc 2022 was crafted from three different wards and soils (Decomposed Granite, Oakleaf and Duplex) in Stellenbosch, each contributing to the complexity of the wine. 2022 is also the first vintage of Family Reserve to be certified as made from Heritage Vineyards. The canopy of the bush vines was suckered and tipped to ensure a cool microclimate around the bunches with no direct sun and without botrytis. Due to a cool, wet spring, budding was seven to 14 days later than usual, but consistently good and even, promising a great vintage. The grapes were picked separately between 21 and 23°balling, reductively crushed and the resulting juice given 12-18 hours skin contact prior to settling. After only 1 day of settling, the slightly turbid juice was racked off its gross lees to a stainless-steel tank where it was inoculated with selected slow fermenting yeast strains. The juice was then gravity fed into 400L French oak barrels and 2 x 500L Italian Terracotta Amphora and, for the first time at Kleine Zalze, concrete eggs for fermentation. No new oak was used to preserve the delicate flavours of Chenin blanc. The wine spent an extra 8 months on the lees in the respective fermentation vessels, with no fining or filtration before bottling.
Certifications Heritage Vineyards
Tasting Notes
white peach, citrus pith, mineral, delicate floral perfume
Producer Information
Website
Address
Strand Road (R44), Stellenbosch, 7600, South Africa
Phone
+27 (21) 880 0717
Owner
AdVini
Cellarmaster
RJ Botha