Uniquely expressive Chenin from an old Rooibos tea plantation.
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.
What's this then? SKU is a casual band of happy ferments. A circus tent of the Cape's stranger grapes and blends. Championing 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.
Technically, these are 70 year old bush vines but classified as 40 y/o (because at this time, classification wasn't the thing). This single rocky slope is also home to South Africa's highest rated Grenache block and grows hug-a-mug with the regions indigenous rooibos tea plants. Because rooibos cannot be cultivated and only grows wild, where it does grow, even it that be in the middle of your ancient Chenin block, you have to let it be!
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 fruit is stolen away at night or in the small hours of the morning in a chilled grocery truck, 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).
Quiches, frittatas and omelettes; simply cooked fish dishes, scallops, salt and pepper squid or fishcakes; light seafood pasta dishes and risottos; salads or sushi.
