Pale straw in colour, with distinctive stone fruit aromas of apricot and peach with a touch of honey. The fruit flavours follow through on the palate with a touch of minerality, leaving a delicate and lingering finish.

Producer

Formed in 1973, Pierre Chainier is both a négociant and the owner of some 250 hectares of vines in the heart of Touraine, from which it sources classic Loire varieties. Its eight Touraine estates include Domaine de la Bruyère in the newly established appellation of Touraine-Chenonceaux. Conversely, Clos de Nouys, its 25 acre Vouvray estate, is one of the oldest in the appellation. Here, vines average 35 years of age in vineyards that were already listed amongst the best sites on geological maps dating from 1907.

Note on Sustainability

For both its négociant arm and its own vineyards, Pierre Chainier seamlessly blends the principles of reasoned agriculture with the most modern winemaking techniques. It encourages sustainable development and official certification for its growers, it uses sugar cane-derived biodegradable “corks”, and it has a comprehensive waste recycling programme.

Specifications

Year	2022
Bottle Size	750ml
Cultivar	100% Chenin Blanc
Country	France
Alcohol content	12% alc vol
Units of Alcohol per Bottle	9 units
Type	White Wine
Allergen Information	Contains sulphites
Dietary Information	Vegan & Vegetarian Approved
Food Matches	Pair with roast chicken, or spicy oriental dishes.
Origin	Loire
Appellation	Vouvray AOP

2022 Waterkloof Circle of Life White

£13.49

Circle of Life celebrates farming in harmony with nature, telling a story of preserving and regenerating biodiversity. This harmonious combination of 3 classic grape varieties captures the essence of Waterkloof's biodynamic viticultural amphitheatre. 94 points, Decanter July 2023.

Tasting notes

A fine and seamless blend of 3 classic white grapes. Sauvignon Blanc aromas are prominent on the nose, with lime and prickly pear notes. A tight mineral core and creamy mid palate from the Chenin Blanc gives complexity and a persistent finish while a small proportion of Semillon adds texture and depth.

Awards

Vintage 2022 - Decanter World Wine Awards 2023 - Silver

Production

Circle of Life White is neither defined by grape varietals, nor indeed a specific block within the vineyard, but instead encapsulates the myriad soils, aspects, altitudes and grape varieties found on this windswept, biodynamic farm. The windswept vineyard blocks are all, south facing (less sun exposure), 200-350m above sea-level and a mere 2 miles from The Atlantic. These factors combine to produce low yields, balanced grapes and wines with a true sense of place. Production is a miserly 4 tons per hectare. Bunches are picked early in the mornings, when they are still cool, which helps to preserve the flavours. Extracting juice from the grapes is achieved through whole-bunch pressing in our modern basket press. This is the most delicate way to extract the juice. No additions of enzymes or settling agents were made to the juice. After a settling period of 24 hours, a large proportion of the juice was destined for co-fermentation. We determined a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc prior to fermentation which went into old 600-liter barrels where it fermented for four months. After the fermentation was completed the blend was racked to a stainless-steel tank to which they added the rest of the Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Semillon. To have the varietals integrate the wine was left in barrel on the fine lees until its bottling date six months later. This helped to add more complexity and weight to the palate. The wine is produced as naturally as possible, with no additions of acids or enzymes.

Producer

Founded by Paul Boutinot in 2004, Waterkloof is a family-owned farm using organic practices. The farm is perched high up on the windswept Schapenberg, overlooking False Bay and The Atlantic Ocean. Living soils, naturally low yields and a long growing season help provide talented Cellarmaster Nadia Barnard with naturally balanced grapes that are imbued with a truly defining sense of origin. Those grapes are then transformed into wine with a minimum of intervention. The resulting wines are fine, inimitable and best enjoyed with food.

Sustainability

As well as being ECOCERT certified as organic, and working biodynamically, Waterkloof goes much further than many in its efforts to be a highly sustainable winery. A member of The Integrated Production of Wine Scheme, a voluntary environmental sustainability scheme established by the South African wine industry in 1998, and of The Wine and Agricultural Ethical Trading Association, a multi-stakeholder, non-profit voluntary organisation which actively promotes ethical trade in the wine industry, it is has also been a member of the World Wildlife Fund’s Biodiversity & Wine Initiative from its inception. Through a partnership between the IPW and the BWI, Waterkloof is a WWF Conservation Champion and has in place a formal nature conservation plan that includes: clearing approximately 55 hectares of land from alien invader species and restoring the Cape’s precious indigenous flora and fauna; re-establishing natural vegetation in previously disturbed areas; introducing preventive erosion control measures; providing migration corridors for species between isolated areas of natural vegetation; mulching of winter cover crops to create a healthy environment for the natural predators of vine pests and installing perches for birds of prey for natural rodent control measures.

In the vineyards, drip irrigation is used only on young vines as a more efficient system to conserve water. Most of Waterkloof is dry-farmed; the biological control of pests is employed as an alternative to chemical spraying; annual legume cover crops are sown to add nitrogen to the soil and annual grain cover crops are sown in alternate rows as a carbon source and to return nutrients to the soil; earthworms are farmed and their casts are used to make a tea, which is used on the cover crops and soil as a living fertiliser; 380-400 tons of compost a year are made each year to boost carbon matter in the soil, to enhance its water holding capacity, and to boost the level of microbes in the soil keeping it fertile and alive; and, as part of the estate’s biodynamic regime, various foliar feeds are made. No damaging herbicides, pesticides or fungicide are used, only natural predatory fungi and metabolites to control mildew and to build the plants’ immunity. Six Percheron horses are used to plough, compost, spray and harvest the vineyards to reduce damage to the soil and vines and to reduce carbon emissions. Using the horses also teaches the handlers the rare skill of training these horses. A flock of chickens reduces the number of pests in the vineyard and returns nitrogen to the soil and compost, as well as providing fresh, free-range eggs for the restaurant. A small herd of cows is kept, which is key to producing biodynamic composts and teas, and a flock of sheep and a herd of goats are allowed to graze in the vineyards in winter to naturally reduce the level of weeds and vegetation between vine rows, as well as to put nitrogen back into the soil.

In the cellar, waste water gets pumped through a stainless-steel filter into a bioreactor where it is combined with the rest of the waste water from the building. Aerobic bacteria remove most of the contaminants before the water is pumped into a sand bed to remove any solids. From there, it runs into a reed bed for a final clean up and it is then used to irrigate the young vines. Peroxide is used a cleaning agent in the cellar as it breaks down in water after 15 minutes, leaving no residue. The cellar itself is built into the hillside to maintain a stable temperature, to avoid pumping the wines and hence reducing energy usage. Used boxes, dividers, bottles, screwcaps, plastics, paper and labels are recycled with an external company that take everything away for recycling. Old, unused bottles are sold to bottle recyclers who wash and resell them.

Specifications

Year	2022
Bottle Size	750ml
Cultivar	49% Sauvignon Blanc, 41% Chenin Blanc, 10% Semillion
Country	South Africa
Alcohol content	14% alc vol
Units of Alcohol per Bottle	10.5 units
Type	White Wine Blend
Cellaring Potential	Awaiting info
Features	Vegetarian, Vegan, Sustainable, Natural
Allergen Information	Contains sulphites
Food Matches	Try with Sashimi of Tuna, smoked potato gnocchi or red snapper.
Origin	Stellenbosch
Appellation	WO Stellenbosch

2022 Marras Los Tros Chenin Blanc

£13.99

Tasting Notes

Nose

This wine is bursting with aromatic notes of lemon, apricot and pear.

Palate

On the palate, stone fruit and pear skin flavour characteristics are complemented by a crisp acidity and a round mouthfeel with a refreshing finish.

Winemakers Notes

Marras is the small but mighty label by talented young winemaker Martin Lamprecht, who brings fresh ideas to his current home in the Swartland. This area is a melting pot for hot new talent and South Africa's leading region for liberal winemaking and experimentation. This Chenin Blanc was handpicked and spent 6 months ageing on its fine lees in old 300-litre barrels.

Vineyards

If you can talk to a grape, it will tell you that the Piekenierskloof region is the ideal spot for a tough top class wine-producing grape, as it’s exposed to extreme conditions. Piekenierskloof is the mountain pass between Piketberg and Citrusdal, over the Olifants River Mountains. With warm inland temperatures rising from the Swartland during the day and cool Atlantic sea breezes rolling in overnight, these grapes grow in a dryer soil with just enough water to produce grapes that add depth and complexity to every single sip.

The Region

The Swartland begins some 50 kilometers north of Cape Town and consists of the regions between the towns of Malmesbury in the south, Darling in the west, Piketberg in the north and the Riebeek West and Riebeek Kasteel in the east. It is so called because of the endemic Renosterbos that appears dark mainly when it rains in winter. The Swartland area is mainly known for wheat, but the crown prince in this area is the small concentrated berries of the vines that produce well-balanced and exceptionally ripe and deep-flavoured wines.

Alan's Personal Notes

"This is really good!! Warm rich stone fruits with wonderfully exhibitive mineral notes and fresh acidity to make it incredibly rich but perfectly balanced with great length and complexity!! Much better value wine than its cape cousins!!"

Specifications

Year	2022
Bottle Size	750ml
Cultivar	Chenin Blanc
Country	South Africa
Alcohol content	12.5% alc vol
Units of Alcohol per Bottle	10.1 units
Type	White Wine
Features	Vegan & Vegetarian approved
Allergen Information	Contains sulphites
Food Matches	Mezze, cold meats and salads
Origin	Swartland
Appellation	WO Swartland

2022 The Tea Leaf

£13.50

A naturally fermented old bush vine brew, Tea Leaf hails from vineyards where the vines grow amongst South Africa’s native rooibos (red tea) plants that grow wild alongside the vines.

Tasting Notes

Aromas of ripe citrus and peach with savoury, gently nutty notes. The palate combines firm, high-key fruit with a gentle, sandy texture true to the source vineyards’ soil leading to a long, lightly honeyed finish. A deeply satisfying wine, taut and concentrated, from a blend of high quality bush vine fruit.

Production

From selected coastal vineyards of Chenin, Grenache Gris and Marsanne where the indigenous rooibos tea plant grows wild. Grapes are harvested in the early hours and then a further selection is made by hand at the winery to select the best fruit. The wine is naturally fermented and aged a few months in older 600 litre French oak barrels. No fining and coarse filtered (above 1 micron).

Producer

What’s this then? SKU is a casual band of happy ferments. A circus tent of the Cape’s stranger grapes and blends. We will champion the unfashionable, experiment with the known and express the found before it gets lost. Mistakes are likely, fun certain. Welcome to Strange Kompanjie, a Kultivar Club for the Underdog.

Sustainability

Strange Kompanjie Unlimited wines are certified as part of South Africa’s sustainability accreditation, the ‘Integrated Production of Wine’ (IPW) system. The IPW scheme, started in 1998, consists of a set of audited guidelines specifying agricultural practices, manufacturing practices and bottling activities.

Specifications

Year	2022
Bottle Size	750ml
Cultivar	80% Chenin Blanc, 12% Grenache Gris, 7% Marsanne
Country	South Africa
Alcohol content	13.5% alcohol
Units of Alcohol per Bottle	10.1 units
Type	White Wine
Features	Vegetarian & Vegan
Dietary Information	Contains Sulphites
Food Match	Simply cooked fish dishes, scallops, salt & pepper squid or fishcakes, light seafood pasta, risotto, rich salads and sushi.
Appellation	WO Western Cape

2023 Forager White (Chenin Blanc & Grenache Blanc)

£12.75

"An altogether glorious glass of wine - enough flavour to drink on its own but with interest, complexity and length that will complement lots of menu options. A lot of wine for the price." Alan Chapman

Traversing the beautiful vineyards of the Western Cape, I have the good fortune to often taste small and unique parcels of wine. Winemakers create blends to accentuate certain qualities or add complexity to a wine. Forager is one such blend, assembled from selected grapes each with its own special character, 'foraged' from various vineyards, barrels and batches to create a distinctive wine in which the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

Tasting Notes

Colour

Light yellow-straw.

Nose

The nose is reminiscent of apricot, peach, and quince with hints of lychee and cardamom.

Palate

Citrus and stone fruit follow on the palate, rounded by subtle oak and punchy lime acidity. The finish is long and dry. Medium to full-bodied.

2023 Forager White (Chenin Blanc & Grenache Blanc)

Vineyards

Dryland vineyards in Paarl and Swartland, aged between 12-36 years. Various soil types, ranging from decomposed granite, shale, and alluvial soils.

Winemaking

The grapes were hand-picked with rigorous bunch selection in the vineyards. They were handled separately in the cellar, and only the free-run juice was cold-fermented with a selection of yeast strains to impart complexity. After fermentation, 40% of the wine was racked into a combination of 300L and 500L French oak barrels ranging from 2nd to 4th fill. The wine was given extended lees contact in the barrel for 3-5 months, after which it was racked, blended, and bottled.

Awards

2019: Best Value White Blend - Winemag, 90pt - Winemag, 4 Stars Platter
2020: Gold Gilbert & Gaillard - 4 Stars Platter, 92pt Winemag - Top 10 White blends, Winemag
2021: Double Gold Gilbert & Gaillard - 4 Stars Diners Club 2023 - 91pt Winemag

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"I had kinda overlooked this when we tasted in South Africa (so much to taste) - but it’s beautiful. Stone and citrus fruits dance round a core of lovely complex, textural creaminess. Good balance & length make for a thoroughly decent glass of white - lots of interest, flavour and complexity." Tasted August 2024

Specifications

Year	2023
Bottle Size	750ml
Cultivar	78% Chenin Blanc & 22% Grenache Blanc
Country	South Africa
Alcohol content	13.6% alc vol
Units of Alcohol per Bottle	10.1 units
Type	White Wine
Allergen Information	Contains sulphites
Food Suggestion	Pair with wild mushroom risotto, Moroccan chicken tagine, or herb-crusted rack of lamb. Serve below room temperature: 8°C to 10°C.
Cellaring Potential	This wine can be enjoyed now but will reward cellaring for up to 3-4 years.
Additional Information	Integrity & Sustainably Certified
Origin	Paarl & Swartland
Appellation	Western Cape

2021 Coterie by Wildeberg Chenin Blanc Grenache Blanc

£12.95

Production

Wildeberg’s rationale is to source the finest vineyards available to us across Franschhoek and the Coastal Region, from which cuvées the eyes are plucked to make Wildeberg and the Terroir Series releases. In doing so there remains a small yet definitive expression of all the vineyards we worked with, and its these cuvees that are again selected to go into Coterie by Wildeberg. Chenin and Grenache Blanc complement each other well. Both varietals love the Coastal Region’s arid soils and Mediterranean climate due to their inherent tolerance to drought. Both components were naturally fermented in 600 litre French oak barrels. The Chenin is from an old, low-yielding Franschhoek vineyard planted in 1962 (65%). This brings freshness and tightness to the blend, the old vines also bring Wildeberg’s hallmark texture. The Grenache Blanc is from vibrant, younger plantings Paarl (35%), adding body and structure with this cultivars naturally exotic notes of jasmine and white spice. 65% 2nd fill and 35% 3rd fill barrels.

Producer

The Earth’s mantle thrusts up above the gentle town of Franschhoek, a wild slice of untamed mountain on which sits a farm named Wildeberg. An established wine region for some 350 years, sensible generations never thought to plant a vine here until a happy band of idealists recently craned their necks up at this hillside and, dizzy with hope, decided to give it a go. Franschhoek is on the very edge of the south-eastern corner of the Cape’s venerable Coastal Region, indeed Wildeberg’s property border runs over the top of the mountain where the Coastal Region gives way to the baboon-strewn road to Grabouw and the wider Western Cape.

The Wildeberg wines express the most captivating Franschhoek Valley fruit. In our Wildeberg Terroirs bottlings we look beyond our home to a clutch of exceptional sites of other origin.

A mountain rich in metaphor with the visual heft to flatter any wine, releases of Wildeberg and Terroirs express our continued purpose – exceptional wines of place, however humble the origin. If the abiding memory of our wines remains a textural sense of place then we are portraying the Cape as hoped.

Sustainability

Wildeberg is a 144ha wine farm set against the backdrop of the dramatic Franschhoek mountains, on the very edge of viticultural possibilities. To farm here you have to be in tune with nature, respecting the earth and the elements, creating wines which truly express the terroir with minimal intervention.

This special area is home to 4 endangered Fynbos species, and a key mission of Wildeberg is to conserve this vegetation type as they are critical to the biodiversity of the Western Cape. This work entails clearing invasive alien trees which can overwhelm the Fynbos and contribute to the threat of forest fires. Fynbos covered mountains like those at Wildeberg are thought to be responsible for delivering one glass of water in five in South Africa, due to the plants allowing up to 80% of rainwater to run off into rivers and reservoirs rather than being absorbed into the soil.
Water is precious in South Africa, and waste water from the winery passes through a natural wetland with indigenous reeds and plants before being pumped into our irrigation dam. We then use this water to irrigate the vines.

All Wildeberg wines are certified as part of South Africa’s sustainability accreditation, the ‘Integrated Production of Wine’ (IPW) system. The IPW scheme, started in 1998, consists of a set of audited guidelines specifying agricultural practices, manufacturing practices and bottling activities.

Wildeberg is also a proud member of the Cape’s Old Vine Project (OVP), which preserves blocks of vines which are 35 years and older. The project encourages producers to farm as close to nature as possible whilst raising awareness of the inherent potential of old vines to produce outstanding and expressive wines.

Awards

Silver at the Decanter World Wine Awards (2022 Vintage)

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

"Another Coterie delight - you don’t see these 2 varietals together many places in the world - but this certainly works here to produce a stunning, textural white. I’m picking up some old vine vibes and malolactic creaminess. A very well balanced and interesting white - it’s also got a good dollop of oak in the finish." July 2024

Specifications

Year	2021
Bottle Size	750ml
Cultivar	65% Chenin Blanc, 35% Grenache Blanc
Country	South Africa
Alcohol content	12.5% ABV
Units of alcohol per bottle	9.4 units
Type	White Wine
Allergen Information	Contains Sulphites
Dietary Information	Vegan & Vegetarian Approved
Food Matches	This is a rich, textural wine whose body and exotic jasmine notes would ably marry with gentle Malay and Thai green fish curries, dishes with lemongrass and coriander, or just simply braai-ed linefish
Appellation	W.O. Coastal Region

2021 Coterie by Wildeberg Chenin Blanc Grenache Blanc

2022 Dornier Cocoa Hill Chenin Blanc

£12.49

In a time of seafaring and spice, pirates played in Table Bay…
Among them was Long Ben – as fierce as he was tall,
he looted and pillaged and scavenged from all.
Ben fast became known for being up to no good,
and so fled from the seas and gave up his loot.
He planted some vines, as was the way,
and peered out towards the ocean almost every day.
Long Ben would have gazed longingly at the vista of Table Bay
from where our vines grow today, on Cocoa Hill.

Tasting Notes

Being a truly versatile variety and lending itself well to many different styles, we have aimed at making a wine in a fresh and fruit driven style. The wine has a lively bright colour with delicate aromas of passion fruit and litchis. The palate is vibrant with a refreshing acidity and flavours of tropical fruit.

Cocoa Hill Chenin Blanc is a delectably chic version of what used to be South Africa's Cinderella variety. The vines grow in the decomposed red granite soils of Cocoa Hill – a hilltop in the folds of the Stellenbosch Mountain, superbly positioned in prime South African terroir.

Vintage Conditions

2022 was an excellent vintage for many producers in Stellenbosch. The winter was cold and wet and the ripening season was cool. This led to grapes ripening at lower sugar levels with higher natural acidities. The lower temperatures also preserved the more delicate flavor components in the Chenin Blanc during the ripening period.

Fermentation and Aging

This wine is made with Chenin Blanc grapes from the Stellenbosch and Swartland area. The wine was fermented in stainless-steel tanks and in French oak barrels. Flavour and style specific yeast were used in order to obtain the desired fruit- and aroma characteristics.

History

Dornier is a family owned winery situated in The Golden Triangle area of the upper Blaauwklippen Valley Stellenbosch. The primary focus at Dornier lies in the production of premium quality wines with minimal intervention which are expressive of the unique terroir of The Golden Triangle whilst showcasing the complexity and finesse of the noble grape varieties planted at Dornier. Reverence for tradition is salient at Dornier as is difference where it leads to improvement.

Dornier Wine Estate is located on 3 different farms in the Upper Blaauwklippen Valley namely Groenkloof, Heldemeer and Stellenrust (Homestead) the latter of which includes a historic Sir Herbert Baker designed homestead and one of the first wine cellars ever built in Stellenbosch in the late 1600s.

Dornier proudly boasts an A rating with IPW (Integrity and Sustainability) given its ongoing efforts incorporated and devotion towards sustainable farming practises with integrity.

Dornier also holds an A Rating with WIETA - a pro-active world-class and sustainable ethical trade programme for the South African wine industry and aligned sectors. given its efforts incorporated and devotion towards facilitating fair working conditions and sustainable ethical trade within the wine industry and its aligned sectors.

Specifications

Year	2022
Bottle Size	750ml
Cultivar	100% Chenin Blanc
Country	South Africa
Alcohol content	13% alc vol
Units of Alcohol per Bottle	9.8 units
Type	White Wine
Cellaring Potential	Up until 2025
Food Matching	Being a wine with vibrant fruit it will pair well with salads, pasta dishes and grilled seafood, such as line fish and will accompany calamari and scallops very well.
Allergen Information	Contains sulphites
Origin	Stellenbosch
Appellation	WO Western Cape

2023 Waterkloof Seriously Cool Chenin Blanc

£12.00

A rounded, forward style of Chenin Blanc from 30-40 year old bush vine vineyards on the Heldeberg, cooled by the ocean breezes.

Tasting Notes

A bright, vibrant style of Chenin with aromas of citrus, white flowers and a hint of honey. Ripe and full flavoured with a rounded mouthfeel thanks to long fermentation and extended lees contact. Nice concentration of stone fruit characters with hints of dried apricot and mango. Good balancing acidity on the clean, fresh finish.

Production

Crafted from 30-40 year old bush-vine vineyards in the Helderberg area supplemented by fruit from another dry grown block in Stellenbosch. The vineyards are close to the ocean, which ensure a long growing season and allows for ripe fruit with good concentration and a balanced acidity. Production from these grand dames of South African viticultural heritage is a miserly 4 tons/hectare. Waterkloof follow a traditional, minimalistic approach in their gravitational cellar which means interfering as little as possible with the winemaking process. This allows the flavours prevalent in that specific vineyard to ultimately express themselves in the wine. To achieve this goal, all grapes are whole-bunch pressed, which ensures that juice is extracted in the gentlest way. The juice is then allowed to settle for 24 hours after which it is racked from the settling tank into stainless steel tanks, concrete eggs and older 600 liter barrels. They do not inoculate the juice with commercially cultivated yeast, but allow the wild yeast prevailing in the vineyard to ferment the juice. No additional acid or enzymes are added during the process. The natural fermentation process took 5 months to complete and only a light filtration was used prior to bottling. The only addition is a small amount of sulphur before bottling.

Producer

Sustainability

Specifications

Year	2023
Bottle Size	750ml
Cultivar	100% Chenin Blanc
Country	South Africa
Alcohol content	12.5% alc vol
Units of Alcohol per Bottle	9.4 units
Type	White Wine
Cellaring Potential	Awaiting info
Features	Vegetarian, Vegan, Sustainable, Natural
Allergen Information	Contains sulphites
Food Matches	Great with seafood, pasta, salads, chicken... just give it a go with anything you want.
Origin	Stellenbosch
Appellation	South Africa

Tasting Notes

Producer

Note on Sustainability

Specifications

Tasting notes

Awards

Production

Producer

Sustainability

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Nose

Palate

Winemakers Notes

Vineyards

The Region

Alan's Personal Notes

Tasting Notes

Production

Producer

Sustainability

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Colour

Nose

Palate

Vineyards

Winemaking

Awards

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Nose

Palate

Production

Producer

Sustainability

Awards

Alan's Personal Tasting Notes

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Vintage Conditions

Fermentation and Aging

History

Specifications

Tasting Notes

Production

Producer

Sustainability

Specifications

2022 domaine de la motte chablis

2022 Lurton Chateau Bonnet Bordeaux Rose

2022 Equipo Navazos, La Bota No 119 Florpower MMXXII