Metzer, Montane Chenin Blanc 2020
The guiding principle for Wade Metzer’s winemaking philosophy is that winemaking must always respect the fruit. To achieve this he uses non-interventionist principles; no mechanical interventions, indigenous yeasts and no fining or filtration. Many of his wines are Old Vine Certified, including this Chenin.
This wine is one of Wade Metzer’s two single site, Old VIne, Chenin Blancs – this one was planted in 1964 and is situated on the Helderberg foothills. While both are vinified identically, the wines are stylistically different, which really highlights the sense of place of each site.
In order to preserve fruit integrity, the grapes were picked in the early hours of the morning. After pressing and a brief period of skin contact, the juice was transferred to a tank and allowed to settle overnight (without the use of settling enzymes). The settled wine was transferred to old oak barrels, in which fermentation occurred. 9 months of barrel ageing, on the lees without stirring, followed before bottling (after a coarse filtration).
The wine offers an understated bouquet that unfolds delicately in the glass, with hints of apple, hay and ginger spice. The palate is well balanced and offers more of a textural experience than overt flavours. It has a vibrant mineral core with a touch of citrus on the finish leaving a slight tannic grip after the wine has departed.
£30.25
Stellenbosch
Chenin Blanc
Bone-drySweet
Description
Taste the best of South African wine with a bottle of Montane Chenin Blanc from Metzer wines.
VARIETAL:
100% Chenin blanc. A single-vineyard wine from a bush vine parcel planted in 1964. The vineyard is situated on the foothills of the Helderberg West Peak.
METZER VINIFICATION:
This Montane Chenin Blanc from Metzer wines has been fermented and aged as naturally as possible, without intervention and in search of an authentic reflection of its origin.
The grapes were handpicked in the early morning hours to preserve fruit integrity. The grapes were then gently pressed after a brief period of skin contact. The juice was settled overnight without the use of settling enzymes and from here it was fed directly to seasoned French oak barrels where fermentation occured spontaneously. The wine was aged on its lees in barrel for 9 months, with no batonage. The wine was bottled after a coarse filtration in November 2020.
TASTING NOTES:
The white wine offers an understated bouquet that unfolds delicately in the glass, with hints of apple, hay and ginger spice. The palate is well balanced and offers more of a textural experience than overt flavours. It has a vibrant mineral core with a touch of citrus on the finish leaving a slight tannic grip after the wine has departed.
MONTANE CHENIN BLANC AGEING POTENTIAL:
The wine delivers immediate drinking pleasure but will gain in complexity with further cellaring.
Optimum drinking: 2022 – 2030 (8° C).
MONTANE ANALYSIS:
Alcohol: 12.9%
T/A: 5.3 g/l
pH: 3.46
R/S: 1.9 g/l
Sulphites: 82 mg/l
Additional information
| Alcohol vol | 12.9% |
|---|---|
| Grape | Chenin Blanc |
| Origin | Stellenbosch |
| Vintage | 2020 |
| Wine Farm |
Delicate chicken dishes such as a chicken and leek pie will go beautifully with this wine.
3 reviews for Metzer, Montane Chenin Blanc 2020
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96 points | Tim Atkin MW Special South Africa Report 2021
“It’s always a toss-up deciding which of the Metzer Chenins I prefer in any given vintage, but Montane just gets the nod in 2020. Sourced from quartz and granite soils on the Helderberg, this has remarkable depth and intensity, with beeswax and lemon rind flavours, neutral oak and a dry, stony finish. World class. 2022-28”
Tim Atkin MW Special South Africa Report 2021 –
94 points | Platter’s Wine Guide 2022
“From 56 year old dryland bushvines on Helderberg’s granite, quartz soils. 2020 more demonstrative than its sibling, still maintains elegance in its apple, ginger spice & fynbos succulence. Gentle tannin enhances character & freshness; a charmer whose potential shouldn’t be underestimated. Natural ferment, older oak, 9 months as for Maritime.”
Platter’s Wine Guide 2022 –
93 points | Christian Eedes for Winemag.co.za on 25 October 2022
“Grapes from a 1964 vineyard on the foothills of the Helderberg. Matured for nine months in older oak. Yellow peach, orange, ginger, earth and some leesy complexity on the nose. Great depth and texture on the palate – rich and forceful but concludes dry and slightly bitter.”
Christian Eedes for Winemag.co.za –