Description
Vondeling Bowwood Chenin Blanc is made from a single, site-specific vineyard, planted in ancient granitic soils. It’s the highest vineyard on Vondeling and offers magnificent views of our beautiful Voor Paardeberg region. The elevation of the vines, as well as the steepness of the slope and a Southfacing aspect, ensure that this is our coolest location. The vineyard has poor vigour and the vines are shy yielding. This ensures tiny berries with concentrated flavour and vibrant acidity.
Light dances through this wine’s bright, gold leaf colour. It captures, bends and reflects with the same hypnotic rhythm as a fresh mountain stream in the late light of summer. A cerebral experience, the wine is initially timid on the nose, but soon explodes kaleidoscopically in the back of the brain. Delicate apricot, yellow pear and cut straw aromas are fabulously supported by denser greengage, crushed cumin, raw almond and wild celery. The palate is luxurious and full, with a chalky dryness and vast savoury spectrum. Its mineral freshness showcases honeyed tangerine, roasted corn, ripe quince and sweet cashew. Savoury notes include freshly minced bay leaf and fine ground nutmeg.
Welcome to the Voor-Paardeberg; a Western Cape wine region that has all the charm of an undiscovered country landscape, yet is easily accessible, approximately 45 minutes’ drive from Cape Town. The Vondeling vineyards run off the South-facing slopes of the Paardeberg Mountain where the decomposed granite soil, along with habitual afternoon South Westerly winds, give their wines a vibrancy in an otherwise warm climate area. The first vintage of Vondeling wines made from their own grapes was in 2005; there are now approximately 100 hectares of vineyard, mostly planted to Mediterranean varietals. The older vineyards, which include Sauvignon Blanc planted in 1983 and Chenin Blanc in 1986, have come into perfect balance over the years and provide some of Vondeling’s most valuable fruit which is turned into wines with a unique ‘fingerprint’ of origin from minimal intervention during the winemaking process.
Food matches: Pair with nut crusted swordfish and saffron infused risotto or crispy, shredded duck on spring onion pancakes with tomato salsa.
