Skurfberg Chenin Blanc 2023
Old Vine Series
Sadie Family
Swartland, South Africa

VINEYARD: Citrusdal Mountain
GRAPES: 100% Chenin Blanc
SOILS: Decomposed Table Mountain Sandstone Formations
AGING: 12 months in Big Old Oak Casks (neutral)

96 points Tim Atkin, MW: "[14%] 'In memory of Basie,' reads the label, which is a nice tribute to the legendary grower, Basie van Lill, from whose farm Eben Sadie sources Skurfberg. Using dry-farmed grapes from a 0.8-hectare parcel on red granite and iron soils, this is pale, floral and comparatively forward for a wine from this terroir, with passion fruit, peach and lemon zest flavours and the minerality that comes with the territory on Citrusdal Mountain. 2025-32. (2024)"

95 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 2023 Skurfberg, pure Chenin on sandstone soils (which Sadie mentioned creates "earthy" whites), has a very intense nose. It’s oily and resinous with grapefruit and a touch of peach skin, very well defined but requiring time in the glass. Taut and fresh, the palate is quite lime-driven on the entry, brimming with energy from start to finish. It gently fans out toward the finish. This is a supremely gifted Skurfberg. Drink: 2026-2046. (Sep 2024)"

VINIFICATION: | The grapes are picked in small 20kg picking crates and then placed in a cooling room to reduce the temperature. We consider this an essential step in the Swartland where temperatures are often 35 degrees and more during harvest time; and pressing warm grapes comes with a series of potential challenges. The cooling process is followed up by whole bunch pressing. The process takes about three hours and during this time there is a margin of settling of the juice in the collecting tank. The juice is then transferred to two older foudres where it is left undisturbed until natural fermentation starts. The fermentation process can sometimes take up to 10 or more days to initiate and can last anything from 1 to 6 months, sometimes only finishing during the next spring, by which time the malolactic fermentation would often have come to completion as well.

AGING: The wine is left in cask on the fermentation lees for 12 months and we bottle from the lees. We add about 50ppm of sulphur 2 weeks prior to bottling and bottle directly from the cask.

WINERY NOTES: The Skurfberg Mountain is part of the Citrusdal mountain area and the word Skurfberg (Rugged Mountain) mainly refers to the edgy and rough appearance of the mountain. The soil is mainly decomposed Table Mountain sandstone formations and tends to be very sandy. It is a truly great site for Chenin and it is most unusual that such a warm and dry area still produces wines with this enormous texture and freshness.