Badenhorst Kelder Steen Chenin Blanc 2022
£51.95 (Inc. VAT bot. 75 cl.) / North Ireland
Features
Type of wine
Pairings
Smoked Dishes, Creamy Cheese, Fish Rice Dishes, Meat Rice Dishes
Style
Occasions
Winery
Size
Country
Region
Appellation
Alcohol
13.5%
Grapes
Serving
Between 6ºC and 8ºC
Winemaking
Fermented with indigenous yeasts in used 1,200-litre French oak foudres. Aged on lees until bottling without fining or filtering.
Description
On the granite slopes of the Paardeberg(Swartland, South Africa), where the sun beats down but the wind and Altura cool the nights, Adi Badenhorst turned minimal intervention into a form of character. The story of Badenhorst Kelder Steen Chenin Blanc begins almost as a gesture of stubbornness: to make Chenin Blanc (called Steen in South Africa) without make-up, letting an old vineyard set the pace. This single vineyard, planted in 1971, is literally next to the "kelder" (cellar, in Afrikaans). Just 1.2 ha on decomposed granite, poor and stony soil that forces the vines to go deep and gives that feeling of cold stone and saline minerality that is impossible to fake. The production is minimal, around 1,400 L of must: little quantity, a lot of intention.
Winemaking
The Badenhorst Kelder Steen Chenin Blanc grapes are harvested by hand into small crates and cooled overnight. Whole bunches are pressed and the must from the first run-off goes straight into an old 1,200 litre foudre, a large vessel that does not perfume: it only accompanies and lets it breathe. Spontaneous fermentation starts on its own, with indigenous yeasts, and takes its time - months if necessary - without being pushed. Afterwards, the wine remains on thick lees throughout the ageing process, gaining depth and texture from its own matter. Finally, it is bottled without fining or filtering, to keep that energy intact: a brave decision in a world that prefers to polish everything.
Taste
Badenhorst Kelder Steen Chenin Blanc can be reserved at first, even with a hint of flint/phosphorus typical of austere soils. With air, it refines: lemon and grapefruit peel, green apple and crisp pear appear, with a whisper of peach in the background. But it's the stone that rules: a dry, almost dusty, granite minerality that frames the fruit and keeps it at bay. The palate is straight and nervous: tense citrus, white part of the citrus that squeezes, salinity and a noble bitterness that lengthens the drink. The lees provide restrained creaminess - more fine wax and almond than butter - but the acidity clears the way and leaves a long, cold, saline finish. A white winefor purists: gastronomic, serious and dangerously refreshing.
Shipping to North Ireland
50% discount on orders over £351.75Estimated transit time: 4-5 working days.
| Bottles | Price | Over £351.75 |
|---|---|---|
| 1-6 | £11.34 | £5.67 (-£5.67) |
| 7-12 | £15.39 | £7.69 (-£7.69) |
| 13-18 | £21.54 | £10.77 (-£10.77) |
| 19-24 | £29.46 | £14.73 (-£14.73) |
| 25-30 | £34.21 | £17.10 (-£17.10) |
| 31-36 | £38.25 | £19.13 (-£19.13) |
| 37-42 | £46.17 | £23.08 (-£23.08) |
| 43-48 | £50.56 | £25.28 (-£25.28) |
| 49-54 | £57.12 | £28.56 (-£28.56) |
| 55-60 | £61.38 | £30.69 (-£30.69) |
| VAT included | ||
