A blend of two real South African grapes, Chenin Blanc 70% and Pinotage 30%. I am happy to call Chenin Blanc a South African grape.
It is our most planted wine grape and our Chenin vineyards are six times that of its home in France the Loire Valley in France.
The grapes for the Woolworths Chenin Blanc Pinotage Reserve Collection 2017 were all hand harvested from specially selected vineyards. Once in the cellar, they were destemmed and crushed. In the case of the Pinotage, only soft crushing and pressing took place in order to restrict the colour and the juice was run off immediately. Cool fermentation took place in stainless steel tanks before the wines were blended and prepared for bottling.
Pour
From a plain glass Burgundy shaped bottled, the Woolworths Chenin Blanc Pinotage Reserve Collection 2017 is closed with a screw cap. The label is classic Simonsig, elegant with the Malan family Crest. In the glass, the wine is gem bright and a gentle pink tinged ivory in colour. The aromas are a generosity of fruit, white fleshed peaches, the red berries expected of the Pinotage with its Pinot Noir parentage, particularly strawberries. The flavours follow on from the aromas with lovely crisp fruit from entry, yellow apples and ripe winter melon and Kiwi add to the mouthfeel. The crispness is a golden thread running through the wine into its slowly waning refreshing aftertaste.
Pair
The wine, though dry, is pleasantly fruity and makes for a great glass as a mid-morning refresher of a sun down sipper. It is perfect with food in the crisp lettuce summer style. Lizet Hartley’s Pork and Green Fig Terrine is a perfect partner to the Woolworths Chenin Blanc Pinotage Reserve Collection 2017 for a summer lunch, serve it with lots of crunchy bread. Click here for her recipe.
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