Lycaon Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2021

Packed with guava, fresh green fruit and peach aromas, this lightly-oaked Chenin is vibrant and sophisticated.

These grapes were harvested from two adjacent blocks of unirrigated 44 year old vines in the “horse shoe” just above the town of Wellington. The vineyard is a certified heritage vineyard under South Africa’s Old Vine Project, designed to preserve the surviving old vineyards of South Africa.

The fruit was harvested between 23 and 24 balling, whole-bunch pressed and settled before being fermented in barrel and tank with natural wild yeast. The press was very gentle, yielding only around 550 litres of juice per tonne for optimum quality. Fermentation was very slow helping build a beautiful texture for the wine.

The wine was matured in a 1400 litre clay amphora and French oak barrels, with one new tight grain 500 litre barrel and two seasoned barrels.