Landskroon 2018 Chenins, one dry, one off dry, delicious with Ina Paarman’s Cheese & Leek Quiche…

Friday, 11 January, 2019

Michael Olivier

I must declare being a traitor to both the Landskroon Chenins, the Landskroon Chenin Blanc Dry 2018 and the Landskroon Chenin Blanc Off Dry 2018. I can’t decide which one of the two I prefer, so have decided that to each her own.

There are times when you want dry and times you need an off dry. Both wines are made from Chenin Blanc from the Estate, picked from the south west facing slopes of the Paarl Mountain. Paul de Villiers is the 5th generation Paul making wine on the Estate. He has been made Diner’s Club Winemaker of the Year for his Port Style Wine, he is no slouch when it comes to making whites. The Chenins prove this.

The grapes for the Landskroon Chenin Blancs 2018 were picked off the Estate and fermented in stainless steel tanks. In order to create an off dry wine, the fermentation was halted when there was a perfect balance between the fruit, the acidity and the residual sugar. This is such a lovely wine.

For the Dry Chenin Blanc, the fermentation was taken to a point where again the balance was harmonious.

Pour
Both are bottled in Bordeaux shaped bottles under screw cap. In the glass, the off dry is marginally darker edging towards gold while the dry is pale straw.
Each of these wines is fit for purpose. Both are medium bodied. The dry tends more to tropical fruits, with lemon, lime and ripe white fleshed peaches, while the off-dry is all peaches, lemons and sweet tropical limes.

Pair
Both make an ideal glass on its own, depending on whether you want dry or off dry. They are both wonderful with food, the dry more with summery salads, smoked fish and chicken. The off dry loves goat cheese salads, a mild Kerala vegetable curry. Both work so well with Ina Paarman’s Cheese and Leek Quiche. Yes, real men do eat Quiche. Click here for her recipe.

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