Fairview Chenin Blanc 2022
Region: Coastal Region, South Africa
Vintage: 2022
Bottle size: 75cl
Grape: Chenin Blanc
ABV: 13.5%
This Chenin Blanc is a pale straw colour with tropical aromas of pineapple and hints of citrus on the nose. The palate is fresh and crisp with lively acidity and flavours of lime and mineral hints on the long finish.
The grapes for this wine are a blend from two vineyards. The first is a bush-vine vineyard on the west-facing hills outside Darling, at approximately 300 metres above sea level. The vineyard was planted in 2001 on Richter 99 rootstock, which is tolerant to water stress, and is dry farmed. The soil in this vineyard is decomposed granite, differentiating it from the surrounding vineyards which are mainly oakleaf soil, and adding a mineral note to the wines. The second site is a trellised vineyard in Paarl. This vineyard is planted on decomposed granite soils and is irrigated. Both sites deliver expressive fruit from this variety.
The Fairview estate is one of the oldest properties in South Africa, with vines planted as early as 1699. It is situated approximately 50 kilometres from Cape Town, on the lower slopes of Paarl Mountain. The property was bought by Charles Back’s grandfather in 1937 and was subsequently run by his father, Cyril, before Charles took charge. Under his guidance, Fairview have been driven by an ethical philosophy based on social commitment, sustainability, and conservation. The estate has a committee comprised of elected farm workers which ensures equal opportunities and invests in education and training for the workers. In addition, it funds a company which allows the farm workers to make their own wine, lending them the use of Fairview’s winemaking facilities. While all its production is now certified as Fairtrade, Charles doesn’t use the certification as he wants to sell his wines on their quality. The excitement engendered by Fairview was recognised in 2014 when Charles was given the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award’ by the International Wine Challenge.