MEV. KIRSTEN – 2017

We have been working with grapes off this decomposed granite vineyard (much of it planted in the 1920s) at the foot of Bothmaskop Mountain in Stellenbosch’s Jonker- shoek Valley since 2006.

The mere one hectare of vines belonging to Mrs Kirsten and her family is recognised as the oldest Chenin Blanc in South Africa. The vineyard is slowly but surely dying, and continuing work is needed to prolong its life.

Because of our greater experience with vinifying these grapes, more understanding of the vineyard has been gained – it is clear, for example, that the juice from its grapes is very prone to oxidation. The structural integrity of the wine, however, with its brilliant acidity, suggests that it is likely to age particularly well.

The Mev. Kirsten wine is vinified slightly differently from the other whites, with an initial carbonic maceration, and the fermentation to follow.

Harvesting dates are now earlier, to retain even more of the vineyard’s unique acidity – this has slightly reduced its oxidation potential and revealed more bright fruit, without losing structure and firmness.

This wine is very different from the Chenin off Skurfberg that forms part of the Old Vine Series – together they present a fine exposition of the many dimensions of this great variety.