Description
Ever so slightly eccentric but definitely esoteric, this new white blend from Sakkie Mouton is a bold mix of 56% Chenel (the Chenin Blanc / Ugni Blanc cross), 24% Colombard and 20% Sauvignon Blanc sourced from West Coast vineyards in Vredendal, Lutzville and Koekenaap. Initially on opening, the wine was a little tight and reticent, revealing more of the Colombard’s green apple and cream soda notes. But with a few hours to open up, the wine slowly starts to unfurl a much more animated expression of crunchy white peaches, white pepper, green pears, sea breeze and a subtle chalky minerality. On the palate the wine definitely shifts into fifth gear, revealing a mouth wateringly vibrant tangy acidity, waves of green apple zest, crunchy white peach, fresh pear puree and just the most subtle hint of tangerine peel. The mouthfeel is full, round, glycerol and confident showing an impressively fleshy weight and an appealing crystalline purity with perhaps a very faint grassy complexity on the long, intense finish. The Colombard DNA is clear to see in this wine but the dark horse that is the Chenel certainly marks the wine with its own unique fingerprint. I suspect that as the wine ages in bottle, the Sauvignon Blanc portion will slowly but surely start to assert its premium varietal character with a little more spicey gooseberry, cut grass and picante green citrus. A wine to drink on release but certainly worth hiding a few bottles away for 3 to 5+ years for further interest. A fine addition to the Sakkie Mouton Family Wines portfolio.
92+/100 Greg Sherwood MW
