Optenhorst Single Vineyard Bushvine Chenin Blanc W.O. Wellington, 2019

Optenhorst vineyard was planted in 1952 and is the third oldest Chenin vineyard in South Africa. A complex, exuberant wine with a bouquet of ripe peach, apricot, orange blossom and hazelnuts. The old plot of Chenin Blanc vines had been earmarked for ripping out due to its low uneconomically sustainable yields: Corlea convinced the family to let her have a go before finally sealing its fate. The grapes from Optenhorst vineyard had previously been mixed with other Chenin grapes, but that year the team pressed them separately, put the juice into barrel and left it. On tasting three months later, they were speechless. The 2019 is flavoursome with citrus lemon, zesty mandarin and mango flavours with a mineral acidity.