RIEBEEK Valley Wine Co complete the winemaking of the flagship Kasteelberg range of wines in a boutique cellar at their large production facility in the town of Riebeek Kasteel, separate from the bigger-volume lines in their portfolio. It's about taking the craft of winemaking to another level, beginning outside the cellar with the selection and management of the vines, followed by refining the way they do things in the winery, experimenting at times, all with the aim of procuring something special in the bottle.
The Kasteelberg Chenin Blanc has been made for more years than the Riebeek Valley Wine Co can remember, but the 2024 and 2025 vintages have proved exceptional, excelling at the 2026 Global Chenin Blanc Masters in the UK where the 2025 earned gold and the 2024 the title of Grand Master, the very best on show according to a panel comprising mainly judges qualified as Masters of Wine. And to think that it all started in a trellised block outside the town of Riebeek West where the vines over 50 years old!
KASTEELBERG CHENIN BLANC 2024
WO Swartland. Certified Heritage Chenin Blanc vineyard planted in 1969. Hand-harvested grapes whole-bunch pressed, settled overnight and racked into used 500L French oak barrels. Natural fermentation (wild yeasts) in the barrels and wine matured on fine lees (yeast sediment) for eight months prior to bottling. Total production: 3000 bottles (500 cases of 6x750ml).
Acl 13.5% | RS 3.6g/l | TA 5.2g/l | pH 3.49
From Producer's Tasting Notes: Aroma layered with citrus blossoms, stone fruit, hints of lemon zest. On the palate, complex and richly textured, exceptional balance and a lingering finish.
R244pb ex-cellar, Riebeek Kasteel.