Mulderbosch Single Vineyard Block W Chenin Block, Stellenbosch

Mineral in profile, this richly textured wine displays apple, spice and fennel flavours, saline and sustained on the finish.

Producer Note

Founded in 1989, multi-award winning Mulderbosch Vineyards is one of South Africa’s foremost wine producers. As advocates to the Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) code, they manage their vineyards limiting the use of herbicides, fungicides and pesticides. They use a restrained approach in the cellar to produce distinctive and characterful wines that represent the Stellenbosch terroir. Chenin Blanc is the Cape’s signature variety and they have the largest planting of this variety in the world. In 1996, Mulderbosch was one of the very first producers in the Cape to ferment Chenin Blanc in barriques. The resultant wine garnered an avid following and Mulderbosch has since become synonymous with the variety.

Vintage

2019 was a challenging vintage: after three years of drought, the vines were starting to feel the strain and ultimately crops were lighter with smaller bunches. A lack of cold spells during winter resulted in insufficient dormancy and uneven budburst. Winds in October and humid weather contributed to poor berry set and pressure of downy mildew. However, meticulous work in the vineyards and cool, breezy conditions at harvest resulted in excellent fruit with good levels of natural acidity, ripe flavours at lower alcohol levels and wonderful flavour concentration.

Vineyard

The grapes come from the Single Vineyard Block W, which is located in the Rustenhof area of Stellenbosch. The soil is Cambrian Cape granite, a duplex soil with a marked textural contrast between the coarse sandy topsoil and the clay enriched subsoil. The clay subsoil, offers good water retention properties, which help to nourish the vines during the hot summers. The vineyard is situated just over 2.5 miles from the sea and vines are grown at an elevation of 65 to 70 metres. The sea breezes have a cooling influence on the vines, imbuing the grapes with a natural acidity that beautifully balances the ripe, concentrated flavours the grapes reach in this warm, sunny climate.

Winemaking

The grapes were whole bunch pressed, settled overnight and racked to 1,500 litre foudres for fermentation and maturation. Once fermentation was complete, the wines remained on lees for the duration of their 10 month maturation in barrel, which imparted texture and complexity. The wines were racked and prepared for bottling in January of the following year.

Tasting Note

Mineral in profile, this wine is tightly wound in its youth, slowly maturing over time to release delicate floral nuances, trimmed with a finely poised line of acidity. Textured with delicate spice from subtle oak ageing, this is a superlative example of Chenin Blanc with a saline finish.

Grape

Chenin Blanc 100%