THE BERNARD SERIES OLD VINE CHENIN BLANC by Bellingham 2019

Luminescent gold wine expressing a myriad of tropical peach, pineapple, apple and honeysuckle on the nose, layered with a touch of oatmeal and subtle oak spice. The palate follows through with a lavish concentrated fruit core and citrus marmalade, that gives way to a rich, yet elegant and coated mouthfeel. The finish is seamless with a lingering, complex aftertaste as indicative of its old bush vine origins.

Winemaker Richard Duckitt talks Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc

The grapes for this celebrated wine are from 4 exceptional Chenin Blanc vineyards aged between 35 and 47 years. These low yielding old bush vines grow in soils that are predominately weathered granite soils and are shaped by the ocean breezes from nearby Table and False Bay. The sites are especially known to produce powerful wines of exceptional concentration, acidity and balance.

Predominately consists of weathered granite.

The 2019 vintage produced wines that are rich and bold with big juicy flavours. "The 2019 harvest was very good, we were seeing a lot of voluptuousness in the wines", says winemaker Richard Duckitt. The vintage produced plush, juicy styles of wine with good concentration and body to them".

The vineyards were harvested at two ripeness levels to add complexity. Hand-picked, larger portion of natural fermentation in barrel; Foudre; Amphora and Concrete tanks. Cool climate fruit expression with good acidity. The barrels and Foudre are individually cooled to the optimum fermentation temperature. This allows slower and longer fermentations that enhance fruit and integration between the wine and oak. After fermentation, the wine was left on its lees and batonnage monthly until blending and bottling.