Beau Joubert Old Vines Chenin Blanc 2012

An increasingly positive focus has been placed on Chenin Blanc in the last 5 years or so. And why not??!! Chenin is as local as biltong, rugby, and braai. It may however be the case that this beautiful grape has brought the name of South African wines in disrepute in the past, but a new generation of winemakers have been trying really hard (and some have been succeeding) in raising the quality-bar with regards to Chenins.

The Old Vine Chenin Blanc from Beau Joubert is one of the wines which is lifting the bar in terms of quality. It has beautiful notes of honeysuckle, pineapple, and green apples on the nose. On the palate there is a good balance between fruit and oak, with just a hint of spice adding to the complexity of the wine. It is not overly oaked, spending only 3 months in barrels of which only 30% was new oak. It has a good acidity giving it the potential to age well.

Score: 15.5