Fleur du Cap, Essence - Chenin Blanc

• Vintage: 2018/2019
• Origin: Western Cape D.O. South Africa
• Taste guide: Dry, citrus, apple and stone fruit flavours, hints of vanilla, part oaked
• 75cl - 12.5% - screwcap
• Food pairing: This wine works wonders with seafood such as shellfish, crayfish, oysters and mussels. It is a good choice with Thai and light chicken dishes as well as a mild bobotie. Serve chilled, but not ice cold.

Chenin Blanc has its spiritual home in the Loire Valley of France but is now South Africa's signature white grape. The Western Cape’s diverse palate of wine growing regions allow Fleur du Cap the perfect canvas to make wines that express the essence of this varietal. A masterful selection of fruit combined with the creativity of Fleur du Cap winemakers results in wines that express their vision, ‘freedom of expression’.

Grapes came from various vineyards in the Western Cape where soil, altitude and slope orientation are selected to capture as much varietal character as possible. The fruit was rapidly transported to the winery to maintain freshness. After crushing, the juice was clarified and inoculated with a pure yeast culture, with fermentation at controlled temperatures. Following vinification 20% of the wine aged in French Oak whilst 80% of the wine is unwooded. The wine was kept on its lees to lend greater palate weight and to add complexity. Prior to bottling the wine was fined and filtered.

The wine is brilliantly clear with specs of green. The nose is fresh with aromas of tropical fruit opening up into lime notes with a touch of oak spice. The initial tropical aromas follow through on the palate with hints of citrus complemented with a dash of butterscotch from the time spent on wood. The time spend on the lees adds to the creaminess and roundness of the wine. It has a lingering, crisp finish and is definitely an extremely food friendly wine.

This wine works wonders with seafood such as shellfish, crayfish, oysters and mussels. It is a good choice with Thai and light chicken dishes as well as a mild bobotie. Serve chilled, but not ice cold.

A restaurant wine with a retail value estimated at around £10 - BinEndWines' price is just £6.75