Cape D'Or 2023 Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa

This wine comes from an organically certified vineyard planted on rich clay and sandstone soils, resulting a wine that is driven by layered minerality and linear acidity. While offering amazing freshness on the palate the mouth feel is elegant and sophisticated. 

Chenin Blanc is the most planted grape varietal in South Africa and was first brought to the area in the 1650's. South Africa is a global leader in Chenin Blanc production, and producing some of the finest expressions of this varietal.

Cape D’Or is a collaboration between friends who share a passion and mutual appreciation for wine Two Western Cape (Stellenbosch) natives Ernest Storm and Tiaan Bezuidenhout found themselves sharing a bottle of wine from their homeland and talking about growing up and how much they missed/ Loved the unique wines from South Africa. Tiaan moved from Wine lands of Stellenbosch to california to work with one of the Big 5 consulting firms. He left corporate America to follow his passion for wine by financing wineries, start up companies, and importing South African wines. Ernest studied Viticulture in Elsenburg and later moved to Santa Barbara with his wife to make wines for his own successful brand as well as winemaker for Donnachadh. Their goal with Cape D’Or is to bring high quality but still value driven wines from South Africa to the United States. (Check out his other projects,this guy makes some of my favorite wines out of Santa Barbara.

The Cape D’Or Chenin Blanc comes from a CCOF certified organic vineyard planted on the western Cape of South Africa. The vineyard is planted on rich clay and sandstone soils, resulting a wine that is driven by layered minerality and linear acidity. This wine has all of the classic Chenin Blanc Characteristics of straw and lanolin but really showcasing the boastful stone fruit character and finishing with refined minerality. While offering amazing freshness on the palate the mouth feel is elegant and sophisticated. I have always described Chenin Blanc as sunshine in a glass. This wine brings warmth and freshness and a smile to my face everytime I drink it.

- Jessica Martinez