THE RANGE Under extreme conditions, Mother Nature provides its best fruit. The Dry Land Collection Wines pays homage to its testing terroir, showcasing the uniqueness of wines produced from dry land vineyards. Created in a new world style, these wines are complex with ample fruit and structure. Each wine holds a symbolic name that shares a characteristic of its source.

THE VINTAGE The 2023 vintage was one of the most interesting vintages of all time. The growing season started early and we experienced a very dry Spring with low rainfall during this period. We received good rainfall in early December which was needed at that stage. The growing season was cool with good growth in the vineyards. We started the harvest 10 days earlier than in 2022 and had very good weather conditions in the first half of the harvest with no extreme heat days.

THE VINEYARD Harvested by hand, the grapes used for this exceptional wine are from a certified old vine, 38 years of age, situated in the Paarl area. The soil consists mainly of decomposed granite, ensuring the wine's natural acidity and aging potential. This vineyard block has no irrigation as it primarily relies on winter rainfall. Harvesting took place on a cool, early morning in mid-February between 23° and 24° Balling.

THE WINEMAKING The grapes were de-stemmed, whereafter skin contact followed for two hours. Great care was taken to ensure clear, free-run juice is extracted before fermentation, as it infuses the pure, concentrated fruitiness of the dry land grapes into the wine. Made in a rich and ripe wooded style, this Chenin Blanc was fermented and matured in 500-litre French oak barrels, of which 80% of older barrels are two to six years old, and the remaining 20% are new French oak barrels. The wine spent ten months in the barrels and was aged a further six months in the bottle. The wine was kept on the lees until bottling, with no lees stirring. No malolactic fermentation took place to keep the natural Chenin Blanc acidity. In combination with the age-old traditions of Dry Land viticulture, it resulted in a very aromatic and richly textured wine, with characteristics typical to Chenin Blanc grown under dryland conditions.

TASTING NOTE Colour: Pale gold Bouquet: Citrus, pear, peach and pineapple notes are only some of the aromas evident in the aromatics of this wine. Taste: The palate boasts hints of citrus, litchi and vanilla, while the finish is crisp with a well-defined acidity.

FOOD PAIRING This wine pairs well with seafood dishes, fragrant chicken curry and rich cheeses!

MATURATION POTENTIAL Ready to be enjoyed now with the potential to age further for eight years.

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