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Olifantsberg Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2024

Tasting Notes

Winery: Olifantsberg
Varietal: Chenin Blanc
SKU: OLICHEN2024 Categories: ,
Bottle Size: 750 ml
Olifantsberg Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2024

$23.99

Awards/Reviews

93 pts Tim Atkin MW 2025
Olifantsberg’s Old Vine Project Chenin Blanc is the winery’s biggest seller, sourced from a bush-vine block planted in 1982. Yields were down 20% because of frost, producing an even more concentrated wine than usual. Stony, refreshing and lively, it has plenty of zip and minerality, lemon zest and green apple fruit and a salty, briny finish. 2025-30

93 pts Winemag Dec 2025
From a Rawsonville high-density untrellised vineyard planted in 1982. Matured in foudre and old 500-litre barrels. Aromatics of lime, jasmine and herbs while the palate is pure and racy with a super-dry finish. Pleasing weight without being too luscious. Alc: 12.5%.

92 pts James Suckling Sept 2025
This is brimming with fresh-pear aromas as well as sliced apples and lemons. It’s bright and lively with medium body and a crisp finish. Sustainable. Delicious. Drink now. Screw cap.

91 pts Wine Advocate Feb 2026
The Olifantsberg 2024 Breedekloof Old Vine Chenin Blanc, sealed under screw cap, is softly textured and immediately appealing, with layers of stone fruit, quince and apple. As it opens, the wine gains intensity and that distinctive glossiness associated with mature Chenin Blanc vines, finishing with a subtle salty mineral note. Old-vine fruit adds depth and nuance, giving the wine both generosity and balance. 2026-2030.

4 ½ Stars 2026 John Platter’s South African Wine Guide
Delicate fruit from venerable from 1982 bushvines in nearby Rawsonville town. 24 (90 pts) kiwi & greengage, savoury notes of yoghurt & cream from 9 months on lees. Wholebunch press adds freshness, 9 months old barrel & vat polish the body, aid succulence & texture. Shade plusher than Lark, exits with lifted lemon tang.

Winemaker Notes

The vineyard is located in the Breedekloof, a viticultural area to the west of the Breede River Valley, in the Western Cape. The grapes are from a 100% bushvine block planted in 1982 on north to northeasterly slopes at an altitude of 223 metres. Traditional planting methods were used, and the vines were planted just wide enough apart to allow the vineyard to be worked by horse and plough. This high-density planting of 7,700 vines per hectare, which is grown in decomposed sandstone soils, results in a very unique expression of Chenin Blanc. The surrounding mountains have a moderating effect on the climate in Breedekloof. Morning and afternoon shadows from the mountains shorten the hot days in the region and bring considerably colder evenings. This diurnal temperature variation allows the grapes to cool down during the evening, thus retaining their fresh acidity to balance the ripe, fruit flavours. The vines are grown by a passionate grower who shares the Olifantsberg philosophy and cultivates the vines using sustainable viticulture. The skilled Olifantsberg team has been pruning these vineyards for over seven years, and with each vintage, they achieve more balance within the vines, resulting in harmonious wines.

The grapes were hand-harvested and cooled overnight. Bunch sorting took place to ensure only the best grapes were vinified. The fruit was 100% whole bunch pressed to ensure the delicate extraction of only the purest juice. Fermentation took place with natural yeast in a combination of vessels: 2,000-litre French oak foudres, seasoned barrels and stainless-steel tanks, with each vessel resulting in a different expression of Chenin Blanc and imparting a layered dimension to the wine. The wine was aged for nine months on the lees in French oak, which contributed to the complexity and texture of the wine.

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