Chenin Blanc 2023 – Fairview

To produce the Chenin Blanc Fairview the fruit was hand picked in the early hours of the morning and delivered cold to the cellar. It was then destemmed and gently pressed. The free-run juice settled for two days before the clear juice was racked off and cold fermented in tank. After fermentation, the wine was aged on its fine lees for a period before bottling.

The grapes for this wine are a blend from two vineyards. The first is a bush-vine vineyard on the west-facing hills outside Darling, at approximately 300 metres above sea level. The vineyard was planted in 2001 on Richter 99 rootstock, which is tolerant to water stress, and is dry farmed. The soil in this vineyard is decomposed granite, differentiating it from the surrounding vineyards which are mainly oakleaf soil, and adding a mineral note to the wines. The second site is a trellised vineyard in Paarl. This vineyard is planted on decomposed granite soils and is irrigated. Both sites deliver expressive fruit from this variety.

Fairview is situated on the lower slopes of Mount Paarl, which is more sheltered from the moderating maritime influence than nearby Stellenbosch. Vines were planted here as early as 1699. The property was bought by the grandfather of current owner Charles Back in 1937. Fairview has a reputation for consistent quality across a range of innovative styles, using both classic and unusual varieties, and leads the field in South Africa in matching varieties to specific sites. The Fairview estate now has a total of 680 hectares of vineyard over four appellations: Paarl (350 hectares), Swartland (155 hectares), Darling (140 hectares) and Stellenbosch (35 hectares). This vineyard ownership in so many different regions allows Charles to produce a wide range of wines, from grapes grown in optimal conditions. In 2014, Charles received a lifetime achievement award from the International Wine Challenge.