SONWATER
2023 Swartland White Van Niekerk Vintners
| Grapes | Clairette Blanche, Chenin Blanc |
| Colour | White |
| Origin | South Africa, Swartland |
| ABV | 13.5% |
The 2023 Sonwater is again inspired by the famous 1960’s Lieberstein blend and consists of Chenin Blanc (90%) and Clairette Blanche. Contrary to its namesake, Sonwater is not a semi-sweet wine. Broad and sweeping with gentle power and fresh cut - this is a charming, impressive wine. Celebrating that perfect harmony for farmers like Albert of Sunlight and Water. The Chenin Blanc was once again sourced the old bush vine block on the Langkloof farm, Swartland, planted in 1979. Clairette Blanche came from the 1984 Esperance block, just outside of Worcester. This spends 10 months in barrel to gently mellow. The results are stupendous. L&S (Dec 2024)
| 12 | ||
*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.
As well as their day job in the cellar at Gabriëlskloof, Albert and Anmar van Niekerk make a trio of wines under their own label. Based on the Lieberstein blend of the 1960s, this partners Chenin Blanc and 10% Clairette. Perfumed and showing a little colour, this has layers of thatch and wild flowers, subtle wood and citrus and orange zest fruit. Drinking range: 2025 - 2028 Rating: 91 L&S (Nov 2024)
Van Niekerk Vintners
VNV was born in the heart of the beautiful Overberg in 2019, a perfect setting to pay tribute to Albert's family history. The Van Niekerks have been farming in the area for generations and this new chapter has been started by Albert and Anmar who continue the tradition as a husband and wife winemaking team.
Albert van Niekerk is assistant winemaker to Peter-Allan Finlayson of Crystallum and John Seccombe of Thorne & Daughters, last year he married Anmar, who is the Gabriëlskloof assistant winemaker, and the two now work together in producing wines under this label.
In the late 1600s a prosperous farmer, Cornelis van Niekerk and eight others took a stance against the Cape’s corrupt governor by refusing to sell their wine to the dishonest regime. Instead, they sold directly to passing ships at a much fairer price. This landed them in a Mauritian jail where Cornelis eventually passed away - unjustly branded as one of “The 9 Rebellious Vrijboeren”. It is from this family history that young Albert Van Niekerk derives the name of their gorgeously attractive red 'Rebellie'.
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Oliver Coleman, www.JancisRobinson.comORDER COLLECT
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