OLD ROAD WINE CO. ANEMOS CHENIN BLANC 2018

This delicate partial wood maturation yields a Chenin Blanc of great character and style – a wine that is complex yet fresh, crisp and very stylish. On entry it exudes dried apricot and peach with tropical notes, persisting onto the palate together with ripe white fleshy pear. Balancing the succulent fruit is good acidity, and a creamy finish rounds off the luxurious taste experience.

The vineyard that supplies the grapes for this wine is 35 years old, unirrigated, and at an altitude of 380 m above sea level. The vineyard started as a trellised vineyard, but over the years it became an improvised bushvine. Its grapes give excellent acidity in this wine and a perfect balance. At this high altitude, the vineyard is exposed to cool afternoon breezes every day.

Grapes were hand-harvested in small bins at optimal ripeness. Grapes were left on the skins overnight and allowed to settle before being racked to the barrels for fermentation. After fermentation the wine underwent 9 months barrel maturation in mostly older French oak barrels as to add depth and staying power without detracting from the natural fruit character. Maturation on the primary lees with regular stirring or batonnage ensured further complexity and verve.