New release: Delheim Wild Ferment Chenin Blanc 2023
Delheim Wild Ferment Chenin Blanc 2023 vintage has just been released and is said to be one of the best Delheim Wild Ferment Chenin Blanc wines in years. Oh yum! I'm a sucker for a good Chenin and this one is not only a wild ferment but also Old Vine Project certified at only R225 a bottle. A steal!
Delheim predicts that 2023 will be remembered as one of the wildest in recent history. From early March, incessant rain hammered the Cape Winelands, creating a challenging harvest season. However, the prized old vineyard block of Chenin Blanc on Delheim Estate in Stellenbosch managed to ripen before the rain hit.
Perfect Conditions for a Prized Vineyard
"For a 38-year-old Chenin Blanc vineyard, the growing season for the wine's 2023 vintage was the best it could have hoped for," says Roelof Lotriet, Delheim's winemaker. He is particularly passionate about this 3.5ha vineyard, which Delheim Estate has planted on decomposed granite soils.
"Bud-break was even, and this harmony continued into berry-set and veraison without any stress-inducing heat spikes in early summer. A refreshing splash of rain in December cooled things down, replenished the soils, and freshened the ripening fruit. When the grapes fully ripened, it became clear that one could scarcely hope for better old-vine Chenin Blanc."
Gentle Handling for Perfect Balance
After harvesting, they de-stalked and gently pressed the grapes, allowing the juice to settle for two days. "Working with grapes from an old vineyard demands care and an attunement to maintaining balance," says Lotriet. "By giving the juice a chance to settle down after the freneticism of harvesting and removing the grapes from their natural environment, the two days' gentle settling creates calm and balance."
Spontaneous Fermentation: A Magical Process
They placed the settled juice in old 500L French oak barrels and 1500L concrete eggs, where the magical process of spontaneous fermentation occurred without the use of manufactured yeasts. "This is where art and magic come into the winemaking process," says Lotriet. "The juice's fermentation is activated by the natural yeast cells living in the Delheim winery. These unique natural yeasts add a singular and distinctive dimension to the wine, which is the true beauty of Delheim Wild Ferment Chenin Blanc.
"Spontaneous fermentation is particularly well-suited to juice from old vineyards. The complexity and layered fruit nuances from more mature plants allow the wild fermentation process to express a broader and more intriguing spectrum of wine flavours."
The Unpredictability of Nature
Natural yeasts do not follow a timetable, which makes the fermentation process unpredictable. "Some barrels take two weeks to complete fermentation, while others can continue for over a month," says Lotriet. "Such are the vagaries of nature, and we must abide by them."
Maturation and Bottling
After fermentation, the wine is left on its fine lees to mature for another nine months. It then receives a light filtration and a minimum dose of sulphur before bottling. They further allow the wine to mature in the bottle for 12 months.
A Tribute to a Legendary Vineyard
"The age and site of this 1976 Chenin Blanc vineyard make it an honour to create wine from," says Lotriet. "We believe our respect for the vineyard and minimal intervention have allowed Delheim to present one of South Africa's finest Chenin Blancs, optimally expressing our estate's legacy."
Buy the Delheim Wild Ferment Chenin Blanc
The Delheim Wild Ferment Chenin Blanc 2023 is available for purchase from the Delheim website for R225 a bottle. Give it a try and let me know what you think in the comment section below.