A.A. Badenhorst Caperitif Chenin Blanc NV

A.A. Badenhorst Caperitif Chenin Blanc

Region: Swartland, Coastal Region, South Africa

Vintage: NV

Bottle size: 75cl

Grape: Chenin Blanc

ABV: 16%

Complex and aromatic, with layered notes of cinnamon, cloves, orange blossom, and floral herbs such as blackcurrant leaf, mint, thyme, and lavender. A distinctive and expressive vermouth with a South African identity, ideal for sipping or mixing.

This reimagining of original Caperitif recipes was achieved through careful trial and error until the blend of 40, locally sourced-botanicals and Chenin Blanc was perfected. Caperitif Lot 12 A is crafted from old bush vines, and younger trellised vines, grown in the Swartland on decomposed granite soils.

Grapes are hand-picked in the early morning, then pressed and settled naturally. Fermentation occurs spontaneously in old 45-hectolitre wooden casks, after which the wine is fortified and infused with a proprietary blend of botanicals. Extraction lasts 7–10 months, allowing full integration of flavours. The vermouth is then fined and bottled, preserving its aromatic complexity and purity.

Neal Martin describes Adi Badenhorst as someone who “epitomises the carefree spirit that pervades the [Swartland] region”, a phrase that still doesn’t do justice to a man whose personality is as characterful as the wines he makes. Adi founded A.A. Badenhorst Family Wines in the Paardeberg with his cousin Hein in 2008. He is a champion of attentive farming and minimal intervention winemaking to convey an authentic expression of the Swartland in his wines.