The Swartland is the hottest of the South African wine regions where the focus is on still, unfortified wines. Often in the past the hot climate meant confected, overripe red wines, a style that I hate with a passion. Of course in the meantime Eben Sadie, the Mullineux’s and Adi Badenhorst arrived, guys who seem to know just when to pick to get phenolic ripeness without overripe fruit. Although these days I like certain Swartland reds, my main Swartland love are the white wines. If it says Swartland on the label, it is rich, medium to full bodied, textured with a lot of fruit expression, I grab the wallet and spend the last of the rent money.

Chenin Blanc being the most planted white grape out in that part of the world, is often the main role player in the excellent white blends that come from the area. Only recently we’ve started seeing single varietal bottelings of Chenin Blanc from the Swartland area to rival the white blends and thus the Mount Abora Koggelbos Chenin Blanc 2011. Made at Meerhof cellar – a winery with a history going back to 1751, it is the quintessential Swartland white, but with a twist.

Fruit was sourced from 3 vineyards, all between 35 – 42 years old. The wine spent 11 months in 300 litre 2nd and 3rd fill barrels. Wine maker Johan Meyer used 3 techniques to get the most from the juice – whole bunch ferment, cold soak for 10 days and fermentation with skins and stalks. It has the richness, it has the texture, the medium bodied mouth filling fruit expression that I love. But strangely it also has a lean character, contrary to the oxidative style that it was made in. The acidity is noticeable, with a mouth puckering intensity and an almost sour character. How can a wine be rich and lean at the same time? That is just the idiosyncratic nature of this wine – it has both in my opinion. An initial macadamia nut entry gives way to intense notes of lemon blossom, lime and apricot. It reminds of a Viognier, but that blending partner hasn’t seen action here. The length on the wine is incredible. I am consuming a bottle as I write this, my last sip was 15 minutes ago. I still taste the wine as if I had my last sip seconds ago. Get a case of this stuff. Its hard work, you might need more than one bottle to get to understand it, but its damn good. It sells for R95 a bottle.

www.abora.co.za