Top of the class at the National Wine Challenge

AT THE VERY heart of the South African winelands, Stellenbosch was founded in the year 1679, and harking back to its roots, so to speak, ‘Stellenbosch 1679′ is the name of the new tier of wines introduced by one of the most successful co-operative cellars in the district. The Chenin Blanc was first to catch the aficionados’ attention when it rated double gold at the 2020 Veritas Awards, and since then it’s been a case of one good review after another across the range.

Many a bargain-hunter scouring the wine routes of the Cape for under-R100-a-bottle specials will include Koelenhof Winery as one of the obvious places to explore, located a short distance from the N1 freeway along the R304. Some will remember when the farmers put up a billboard near the roadside celebrating their victory as the most successful entrant in Wine Magazine’s annual Value Awards competition. The sign stayed up for years. But though the cognoscenti have long been aware that what goes on behind these cellar doors is not just about the quaffing stuff and that a number of top producers rent space and facilities here, it would seem that only now are the folk at Koelenhof Winery shifting into top gear as regards their own labels – and charging accordingly!

The 2019 vintage of the Stellenbosch 1679 Chenin is priced at R190 a bottle. The 2019 Pinotage judged best in its class at the National Wine Challenge goes for R270, and R375 is what they feel is reasonable for the 2018 vintage that placed among the Top 10 in Winemag’s Cabernet Sauvignon Report. Top of the range? The Legacy, a Cab-led red blend at R525 a bottle, Red Wine of the Year at NWC 2021.

The ‘Legacy’ pertains to the story of how 10 families came together with the establishment of Koelenhof Winery in 1941 – some as grape farmers, some involved in the construction of the cellars and some who took up jobs at the co-op. Such was the bond between them that 80 years later the third and fourth generations of these families remain associated with the winery as it embarks on a new era of top quality wines in styles few would have expected of this producer in times past. So different is the positioning of the new ‘Stellenbosch 1679’ range that the winery has come up with a separate, dedicated website.

STELLENBOSCH ‘1679’ THE LEGACY 2017
WO Stellenbosch. Vines 14-years-old on average: 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12.5% Merlot, 12.5% Petit Verdot, 12.5% Malbec. Various soil types. Seven days on the skins in rotor-fermenters at 25°C. Barrel-aged for 24 months in new 225L French oak barrels
Alc 14.3 | RS 2.9 | TA 5.8 | pH 3.6
Winemakers’ Tasting Notes: Full-bodied, yet an elegant, classic style. Deep ruby-red colour with blackcurrant (cassis) and red berry flavours. Will peak between mid-2021 and 2031, when tertiary aromas will develop.
Producer’s Food Recommendations: Game, beef and lamb dishes.
R525pb ex-cellar.

STELLENBOSCH ‘1679’ PINOTAGE 2019
WO Stellenbosch: 21-year-old vines, various soil types. Seven days on the skins in open fermenters at 25°C. 14 monts in new 225L and 300L French oak barrels.
Alc 14.8 | RS 3.1 | TA 5.5 | pH 3.7
Winemakers’ Tasting Notes: Full-bodied, dark red colour, aromas of blackberry and white pepper accompanied by dark cherry fruit and mocha on the palate. Will peak between 2020 and 2025, with tertiary aromas developing.
Producer’s Food Recommendations: Game, beef and lamb dishes.
R270pb ex-cellar.

STELLENBOSCH ‘1679’ CABERNET SAUVIGNON 2018
WO Stellenbosch: 18-year-old vines planted on various soil types. Rotor-fermented for eight days on the skins at 25°C. Barrel-aged for 24 months in new 225L French oak barrels.
Alc 14.2 | RS 2.8 | TA 6.0 | pH 3.6
Winemakers’ Tasting Notes: Full-bodied, deep red colour with dark fruits and licorice aromas. On the palate, a balanced tannin structure with flavours of blackberry and hints of herbaceous freshness. Will peak between mid-2021 and 2031, when tertiary aromas will develop.
Producer’s Food Recommendations: Game, beef and lamb dishes.
R375pb ex-cellar.

STELLENBOSCH ‘1679’ CHENIN BLANC 2019
WO Stellenbosch: 37-year-old bush-vine Chenin Blanc from a single block on the farm Sonop, planted in 1982. Various soil types, reddish to yellow in colour, acidic with good physical and water-retention properties. Grapes cold-soaked on the skins for six hours. Using only the free run juice, fermentation was initiated in stainless steel tanks and halfway through transferred to new French oak barrels, where primary fermentation was completed, secondary fermentation took place and where the wine was aged for 312 days.
Alc 14.2 | RS 6.2 | TA 6.5 | pH 3.4
Winemakers’ Tasting Notes: A bouquet of yellow apples, white pear and hints of honey, with an appealing freshness on the finish.
Producer’s Food Recommendations: Mild Thai curry, mussels in creamy sauce, pork belly with orange jus, pan-fried duck with mango chutney.
R190pb ex-cellar.