QUAFF RATING

4 – Hard day at work

REGION

Swartland

GRAPES

Chenin Blanc

ABV

13.5%

WINEMAKER

Peter-Allan Finlayson

FARMING

Vegetarian, Vegan, Sustainable

VINEYARD

The fruit for this wine is sourced from five vineyards, four of which are located in the Swartland (Nuwedam, Nuweland, Uitvlug and Langkloof vineyards). The other, the Contermanskloof vineyard, is to the south in Durbanville. All of the vineyards are estimated to be over 40 years old. They are dryland bush vine vineyards and have never been irrigated. These vineyards are very labour intensive to farm and, as a result of the arid conditions, yield little fruit (between one and three tonnes per hectare). South Africa is the only New World country that has significant plantings of old-vine Chenin Blanc, and Elodie is an expression of what can be made from this national treasure.

WINEMAKING

The grapes were whole bunch pressed with no additions. After an overnight rough settling in tank, the juice was transferred to 400 and 500 litre old French oak barrels, followed by fermentation with wild yeasts only. The wine remained in oak for nine months before bottling.