Select another wine

Thorne & Daughters

2022

‘Cat’s Cradle’

Chenin Blanc   |   Swartland - South Africa
Shelf Talker Spec Sheet Wine Label Bottle Image

About

Swartland Chenin Blanc needs no introduction, having long assumed its place among the world’s key expressions of this variety. Langkloof, where John sources the grapes for this wine, is an old bush vine Chenin Blanc vineyard planted on the granite slopes of the Paardeberg that belongs to the Rossouw family. The vineyard is situated between parcels owned by Eben Sadie and Chris Alheit, which says something about its aptitude for greatness. John has worked with this vineyard for a few years but never had enough fruit to bottle a varietal Chenin Blanc, until 2017. The 2022 vintage had a cold, wet winter and cool spring conditions which created a very good growing season. January showed a large swing in weather conditions with heatwaves early in the month causing a lot of damage to grape bunches. Overall, yields were a bit lower due to the necessity of sorting out damaged fruit in the vineyard, but John was happy with what was retained.

As with all of the wines…the winemaking is pretty simple. Handpicked, whole bunch basket-pressed direct to old French barrels, larger ones in this case, with the gross lees. No sulfur addition and fermentation kicked off naturally with ML following right after.  A tiny hit of sulfur was added in the winter for light protection and then the wine aged for ten months. After this maturation time, the barrels were racked to tank where the wine settled naturally. It was bottled with crossflow filtration and just a small sulfur addition. No fining.

Stats

  • Grapes: 100% Chenin Blanc
  • Vineyard: Two blocks off of Langkloof Vineyard - farmed by Scholtz Roussouw (Aprilskloof, Paardeberg)
  • Vine Age: 45 and 52-years-old
  • Soil Type: Weathered schist with sandy loam
  • Viticulture: Sustainable - dry-farmed
  • Fermentation: Native – old 600L French barrels (100% whole-bunch pressed)
  • Skin Contact: None
  • Aging: 10 months in old 600L French barrels
  • Alcohol: 13%
  • pH: 3.31
  • Total Acidity: 6.1 g/L
  • Total SO2: 56 ppm
  • Total Production: 200 cases
  • UPC: 606110152433

Tasting Note

This is a very clear and bright expression of Chenin Blanc, with aromas of frangipan, yellow pear, raw honey and straw. A nuanced palate is full of ripe yellow apples, oatcakes and grapefruit rind. The finish is long, textured and pithy. This is a wine that will reward some time in the cellar to allow its full aromatic expression to develop.

Press & Reviews

Tim Atkin, MW

95

"Essence of the Paardeberg, Cat's Cradle smells and tastes of its decomposed granite soils. Pithy, subtle and restrained, it has green apple and citrus fruit flavours, lots of stony, mouth- watering minerality, negligible oak and a taut, focused finish. A Chenin Blanc that has more to give in bottle."
- Tim Atkin, MW

The WineMag

95

"Grapes from 1971 and 1979 Swartland vineyards. Citrus, apple, fynbos, hints of clove an cinnamon plus an ever-so-slight waxiness. The palate has a dense core of fruit offset by fresh acidity, the finish intensely savoury. Surprising weight and texture given a moderate alcohol of 13%. A striking wine of real luminosity."

- Christian Eedes
Select a wine

Producer


Thorne & Daughters

Region


Swartland

Country


South Africa

Have a question or want to drop a line?

Contact Us