KWV The Mentors Chenin Blanc 2012

A true reflection of a great Chenin Blanc, this is a wine resplendent with intense flavours of concentrated guava, tropical fruit, apple and green fig supported by notes of fresh lime and minerality. It is truly a polished creation. The creamy, seamless palate with its purity of fruit is complemented by marzipan, raw almonds and subtle, integrated oak. There is refinement in its lingering aftertaste.

Although this wine can be enjoyed on its own, it will pair well with vegetable dishes, rich fish or cream-based chicken entrées.

variety : Chenin Blanc [ 100% Chenin Blanc ]

winery : The Mentors

winemaker : The Winemaking Team

wine of origin : Coastal

analysis : alc : 13.5 % vol rs : 2.88 g/l pH : 3.17 ta : 7.12 g/l

type : White style : Dry wooded

pack : Bottle closure : Cork

AWARDS

Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show 2013 - Silver
Decanter World Wine Awards 2013 - Bronze Medal

ageing : The wine may be enjoyed immediately or cellared for the next 2 - 4 years.

in the vineyard : The winter preceding the 2013 vintage was characterized by far lower than average rainfall. This trend continued into the summer, resulting in vineyards showing signs of lower soil moisture by way of the reduced berry size and bunch weight. A cooler ripening season with even temperatures led to steady and measured ripening of the grapes. Overall, the smaller berry size and lower yields promise great concentration, good quality and intense colour in the 2012 vintage wines.

Vineyards
65% Paarl, 35% Swartland

in the cellar : The wine is a blend of three components. Two of them were fermented in barrel; the first, fermented with an indigenous yeast strain to enhance the texture and mouth feel of the wine. The other component was inoculated with commercial yeast to ensure maximum cultivar-derived fruit flavours. The wine was left on extended lees contact for 100 days after fermentation and stirred regularly during this period. Thereafter the wine was racked and placed back into barrel for maturation for another three months. The third component, making up 25% of the final blend, is a tank fermented Chenin blanc. This was added to the blend to enhance freshness, minerality and overall complexity.

Maturation
The wine was matured for six months in 500 litre second and third-fill barrels.

Total Production
4 600 bottles

Bottling date
January 2013

Winemaker's comment
The Mentors cellar gives us the ability to split the vineyard into three different micro fermentations and then, depending what the vintage delivers, to blend them back together to achieve the desired balance.

Chenin blanc is a unique varietal because of its ability to show its terroir, or sense of home, the best of all grape varieties. It's no secret that South African Chenin blanc wines are among the world's finest. We've learnt that when giving this noble variety royal treatment in the vineyard and cellar, it responds as nobility should - with grand personality, regal flavours and stately versatility. The stylistic approach to our Chenin blanc is Loire influenced, but allows unique features from older South African bush vines to showcase in the glass.

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