Wine magazine’s Chenin Blanc Challenge stimulated interest and in 1999, the Chenin Blanc Association was formed. The Association immediately recognised the importance of old vineyards, as recorded in the Minutes of the Association’s first meeting: ‘The most important issue that needs to be addressed is the evaluation of the very old chenin vineyards, some of which are in immediate danger of being uprooted to make way for trendier and currently better paying varieties!’
Eventually, with official help, five of the oldest blocks of Chenin were identified; the oldest, Mev Kirsten, was planted in Stellenbosch between 1905-1920. Today, the vineyard is recognised under the renowned Mev Kirsten label in Eben Sadie’s Ouwingerdreeks range.
The second oldest was planted on Kaapzicht in 1947 by current winemaker, Danie Steytler’s Great Grandfather. Its fascinating story tracks the wine industry over the past 72 years, as Danie relates. ‘In those early days the whole crop went to KWV, who paid for quantity rather than quality, the reason why my Great Grandfather chose generous-bearer Chenin. The bush vine vineyard was originally six hectares, but as it aged, yields decreased to between three and five tons per hectare, thus, due to low grape prices for bulk wine, it was running at a loss. There were also some dead vines, but we had neither money nor time to replace the vineyard. We eventually decided to pull it out and were over halfway through when the Chenin Blanc Association awarded us ‘Custodian’ status in 2009. Oh dear!’
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