This wine is clear and bright gold with a green tinge. Beeswax, quince, apricot and baked apple confirm expectations. Rich mouth-feel, flowery mid-palate, and layers of glorious fruit, culminate in a long, complex, lingering finish.
Wine Spectator of April 2003 rated Rudera Chenin blanc 2001 87/100. The South African Trophy Wine Show 2002 - Silver, voted as a South African top 100 wine and scored **** in the book "ICONS, South Africa's Champion Wines 2003" as well as **** in Platter Guide 2003.
ageing :
Drinking exceptionally well now and will gain in intricacy over the next two to four years.
These Chenin Blanc vineyards are situated on a cool slope in the prime Koelenhof area of Stellenbosch. The bush vines were planted on broken shale between 1977 and 1986, and are fully mature. Canopy management of the vines ensured natural high acidity and full flavour concentration. No irrigation is available and the yield was 5,1 (24hl/ha - only free-run juice used) tons per hectare.
The grapes were hand-picked in the early morning from old bush vines at between 24.9º and 26.6º Balling. The grapes came in on the mornings of 25 February till 14 March. The yields were 5,1 (24hl/ha - only free-run juice used) tons per hectare with acids above 8,7g/l and pH’s generally below 3,1. A total of 600x6x750ml was made.
The grapes were lightly crushed and the free-run juice was allowed to settle overnight. Only natural yeast was used in making this wine, using the indigenous microflora on the grapes. The juice with the fluffy lees was then fermented in 225-l (mostly 2nd and 3rd fill)French barriques. Fermentation took place in a 14ºC cellar but actual fermentation temperatures were not monitored. Rudera Chenin blanc matured in barrel for eight months on the lees; thereafter it was racked, lightly filtered and bottled without being stabilized.
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