Light and pale in colour with a golden straw hue. On the nose, subtle aromas of citrus and white floral notes settle into more nuanced layers of almond and dried pineapple. The palate is restrained with a viscous, waxy mouthfeel and great natural acidity and freshness typical of old vine Chenin.

Gabriëlskloof is a wine estate located near Bot River in the Overberg region, east of Cape Town. It was purchased in 2001 by Bernhard Heyns, who had been looking for the ideal place to plant vines. Bernhard’s son-in-law, the talented Peter-Allan Finlayson of Crystallum, took over as winemaker from the 2015 vintage. Peter-Allan is now Cellar Master and oversees general property management, while the young and no less talented Anmar Van Niekerk has been promoted to winemaker. The farm has 178 hectares, with 68 hectares planted under vine benefitting from a cool climate with maritime influences from Walker Bay. The vineyards are farmed sustainably with the support of full-time vineyard consultant Rosa Kruger (hailed as “the queen of the Cape’s old vines” by Tim Atkin MW). They aim to move to organic farming in the future.

Chenin Blanc (100%)