Hoe-Steen, Chenin Blanc, Swartland, 2023

More concentrated and intense than the Rondevlei, Hoe-Steen this year is a wine of sinew and bristling, crisp golden fruit going into nut kernels and salts with good levels of invigorating acidity. David opted for an early picked style in 2023 and it works! Very smart and polished with real cut. With 2021, this is probably the most incisive Hoe-Steen to date. The Chenin that arguably made their name, Hoë-Steen (meaning High-Chenin) is an old vineyard planted in 1968 just west of Malmesbury towards Darling. The soils are a deep, red iron clay. South facing, it is late ripening and benefits from constant winds which have contributed to the gnarly shape of the vines. Old Vine Project certified. 2,000bts produced.