Zalze Chenin Blanc 2021

Initial aromas of lime and citrus zest are beautifully intertwined with a virtual ‘fruit salad’ of tropical fruits. These flavours follow on the palate, and combined with the rich texture and elegant minerality, ensures a very long finish. The wine can be enjoyed now on its own or with a variety of food, but will also mature gracefully over the next 3 to 5 years.

Owing to the nature of the bush vines, careful canopy management was carried out so that no bunches were exposed to excessive sunlight and to ensure even ripening of the grapes. We had another dry winter but luckily had a few small rain spells in summer that helped to keep the vine happy. Moderate day temperatures and cold evenings during ripening helped to preserve flavor and natural acidity.

All the vineyard parcels were harvested at optimum ripeness and vinified separately. These grapes were hand-harvested early in the morning and treated very carefully after arrival at the winery. All the grapes were given 12 to 24 hours extended skin contact before only the free-run juice was transferred to tank for fermentation. The wines were fermented at low temperatures with selected yeast strains to highlight each vineyard’s specific characteristics. After fermentation the wine was left for a further four months in contact with the lees, to develop a rich mid-palate, before putting the final blend together.

After fermentation the wine was left for a further four months in contact with the lees, to develop a rich mid-palate, before putting the final blend together.