A.A. Badenhorst Chenin Blanc Grensloos 2024 750ml

The A. A. Badenhorst Family Wines 2024 Swartland Chenin Blanc Grensloos is a new addition to the portfolio and sourced from seven vineyards situated along the watershed between Cape Town and the Atlantic Ocean, with vines planted between 1960 and 1978. A small inclusion of Palomino and Clairette Blanche, around 5% to 8%, adds a nutty nuance to a pithy core of Chenin Blanc. Adi Badenhorst describes the difficult process of harvesting low-yielding old vines: "We send a search crew, not a harvest crew, to find grapes." All vineyards are formally registered with detailed certification, including farm numbers, rootstocks and irrigation records, ensuring full traceability as Certified Heritage Vineyards. Each site is harvested and processed separately, using whole-bunch pressing, then fermented in 400-liter barrels and concrete tanks. The components are kept in twice- or third-filled barrels before the final blend is assembled in concrete. The resulting wine is saline and richly textured with beautiful depth and layered concentration. Swartland’s dry climate, decomposed granite soils and cooling Atlantic influence contribute to the wine’s striking balance of ripeness and maritime freshness.

#15 in Top 100 Wines of South Africa, 2025. This cool and complex white shows sliced pineapple, lemons, apples, juniper berries and yellow nectarines with a touch of wild herbs on the nose. It’s medium-bodied with bright acidity and a delicious, salty, yellow fruit character. A blend based on chenin blanc. Drink or hold.

Flavors of passion fruit coulis, macerated raspberry and blood orange peel are enriched with toasty hints of crushed almond, graham cracker and vanilla in this rich, silky white. Underscored by minerally stone and smoke accents and defined by soft, Meyer lemon peel–infused acidity, with floral and herb notes on the finish. Drink now through 2034. 200 cases imported.