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2021 DAMASCENE Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch, Lea & Sandeman

DAMASCENE

2021 Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch

IN STOCK
Grapes Chenin Blanc
Colour White
Origin South Africa
Village Stellenbosch
ABV 13%

The 2021 Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc clocks in at 13% alcohol while displaying more intensity. Generous fresh fruit aromas explode from the glass with incredible precision while showing the warmth of Stellenbosch. It opens with expressive and seductive aromas of peach, quince and golden apples with a creamy yogurt essence that glides and swirls with notes of citrus blossom. Medium-bodied, the palate is nimble, fresh and incredibly textural, showing impeccable balance that will keep this wine food friendly for over a decade. This Chenin Blanc is an absolute success and has me swooning for more! I’ll be keeping a very close eye on this producer from here on out. Run, don’t walk, to add as much of this wine to your cellar as possible. Drinking range: 2023 - 2040 Rating: 97 Anthony Mueller, The Wine Advocate (Dec 2023)

*Case price discount: Mix any 12 bottles of wine (or 9 litre equivalent) or 6 bottles of Champagne, Spirits, Sweet Wine or Fortified (4.5 litres) to get the discounted 'case price' for each bottle.

This is from three sites, planted in 1972, 1981 and 1981, all on top of a ridge at 325 m. The wine is pressed oxidatively and like all the whites it is fermented and matured in 1000 litre oval foudres, left on lees with no sulfite additions until bottling. Powerful, lively and fresh showing some spicy notes, minerality and notes of pear, peach and crystalline citrus fruit. So expressive with great precision – there’s no malolactic here. 95/100 (JG) Rating: 95 Jamie Goode, www.wineanorak.com (Sept 2023)

Jean Smit's Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc uses grapes from three sites on different soil types in the Bottelary Hills between 320 and 340 metres. More floral and opulent than his Swartland bottling, though not by much, this has aniseed, beeswax and yellow apple flavours, negligible oak and a focused, well-balanced finish. Drinking range: 2023 - 2028 Rating: 93 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Sept 2023)

Grapes from Bottelary vineyards featuring shale, greywacke and granite soils. Maturation as above. Very expressive aromatics of citrus and peach plus hints of honeysuckle and fynbos. The palate has a good core of fruit, zippy acidity and a pithy finish. Slightly more weight and texture than its counterpart above although describing it as “oily” is putting it too strongly. Layers of flavour. Rating: 95 www.winemag.co.za (Oct 2022)

Damascene

Damascene is a seriously exciting new find for us in South Africa. Their maiden vintage here was 2018 and we were blown away by the results. 2019, their second vintage was sold out on release, read the press release HERE.

The highly acclaimed Jean Smit, previously winemaker at Boekenhoutskloof, has teamed up with David Curl, former owner of Bordeaux’s Chateau Gaby.

Their goal is to explore all across the South African winelands in search of exceptional sites. Sites that deliver an important moment of insight, and hence the name of the project. A Damascene moment of clarity, where we can all understand the greatness of these small, prized plots.

The vineyards are old and well established but small, so each of these brilliant wines is only released in very small quantities. We urge you to catch them while you can.

This wine isn't currently part of a mixed case, but you can always browse our full selection of mixed cases here.
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