Description
A wine made with love and passion, the 2023 Axle Chenin Blanc is a tribute to the winemaker’s wife, who inspired its creation. Sourced from 1985-planted dry-land bush vines in Darling, this Chenin embodies the essence of old South African bush vine terroir. Fermented naturally in seasoned barrels and aged on its lees for 9 months, it presents an inviting bouquet of ripe pear, subtle spice, and a striking minerality. The palate is textural, with hints of wild pear, herbal lemon, and a touch of lees, while a crisp acidity and flinty finish with a whisper of tangerine pith adds freshness and complexity. A wine that’s both charming and evocative, with a memorable, lingering finish.
Tasting Notes
Greg Sherwood 96
The 2024 vintage is proving to be a good one for many of South Africa s top white wines and this beautiful new Old Vine dryland bush vine Chenin Blanc release from Alex Milner at Natte Valleij is no exception. Aged for 9 months in barrel, the aromatics show a beautifully pure, crisp, crystalline delineation that s tightly packed with yellow honeysuckle, pineapple chunks in syrup, white peaches and sweet granadilla before more subtle hints of tangerine, apricots and dried guava develop. The deep Granitic soils give the palate an incredible clarity, purity and wound spring tension with the pineapple and passion fruit layers gently buffered by stony mineral phenolics and bright, mouthwatering, tangy acids. The cool 13% alcohol is simply the cherry on the cake giving the wine a fresh, suave, sophisticated elegance. Pure class. Drink now to 2032+. [Greg Sherwood MW, 15/05/2025]
Anticipated maturity: 2025-2035
