Inoculated, 33%

Natural, 50%

Combined, 17%

Region Soil typesStellenbosch decomposed granite, sandy

loam top soil, lower clay loam, oakleaf, sandstone

Swartland granite, tukulu, weathered swartland shale, decomposed granite, shist, 'koffie klip'

Paarl weathered swartland shaleCitrusdal (Olifants River) hutton, sandstone, sandy soilsBot River (Hermanus) bokkeveld shale, sandy wet claySimonsberg (Stellenbosch) hutton, glenrosaWellington tukulu

Reneé Crous | Valeria Panzeri | Hélène NieuwoudtInstitute for Wine Biotechnology, Department of Viticulture and Oenology, Stellenbosch University, Stellenbosch

Vineyard management

Cellar practices

Rootstock and clone

R99, R110, 101-14, Ramsey, Jacquez, own roots

Most frequently occurring

Least frequently occurring

Clone: all unknown

40-64 years

Pruningmethods

All bush vines: 2 bud spur pruning and focus on producing balanced yields

Soil types and fertilisation

Plantingdensity

Canopymanagement

HarvestingBottle ageing,

filtration and fining

Wood

Lees contact

Malolacticfermentation

• Post harvest nitrogen• Organic – cover crops and guano• Foliar spray

Range (vines/ha): 1111 – 3788

3000 - 3500 vines/ha

Most frequently occurring

• Balling: 22˚ - 24.5˚• pH: 3.2 - 3.6• TA: 5.3 -10.1 (g/L)

Temperature ranges: 15˚C – 18˚C

and18˚C – 25˚C

No winery allowed MLF intentionally

All wines (94%) received lees contact except one (6%)

Minimum period: 2 monthsMaximum period: 12 months

Why?• “mouthfeel and complexity”• “protection of fresh fruit”• “adds body and structure”

Wooded: 14Unwooded: 4

Average period:7 - 12 months

• Bottle ageing:Yes – 15; No – 3Period ranges from 2 – 24 months

• Fining:Only prior to bottling

• Filtration - if yes:Protein stabilisation -

bentonite

Yes / No?

We would like to thank Vineyard Manager, Rosa Kruger, for sharing her expertise on old-vines; Ina Smith, Manager of the Chenin Blanc Association, with her impeccable knowledge on the Chenin blanc cultivar; Private Chenin cellars for sharing their secrets with us.

Acknowledgements

Ranges:

“No specific parameters, only sight and taste”

This poster provides feedback on the vineyard management and cellar practices currently used by South African (SA) privatecellars in the crafting of 18 different premium quality old-vine Chenin blanc wines. The information was obtained with aquestionnaire sent to producers, as well as consulting experts from industry on their knowledge of old vineyards. The vineyardsare amongst the oldest SA Chenin blanc vineyards (>40 years) in the country. These vineyards are part of our country’s historythat has seen many political and economical changes. Some of them have even survived wars.

Fermentation

• Light suckering• Tip and top• Protection against

sun and wind• Opening canopy for

sunlight penetration• Preventing rot

Different fills usedfor wooded wines

Yes / No?

Vineyard locations

Fermentation types

Inoculated with:• CY3079• DV10• D47• Anchor Exotics• Alchemy 2• Vin7

Consecutive fills, 41%

New oak, 13%

Second fill, 21%

Third fill, 15%

Fourth fill,

10%

• Olifants River• Swartland• Wellington

• Paarl• Stellenbosch• Hermanus