Chenin Blanc, Ava, 2022
The more expressive, confident older sister to the shier, more reserved Noa. The most gorgeous texture here, the Ava Chenin 2021 marries a succulency of apples, stone fruit and honey with a touch of hay and oak and plum stones. Intense and reverberating but not heavy, just lots to like. Really long and focussed with a concentration and breadth that should see this develop handsomely in bottle. One of the Cape’s best Chenins. From schist-driven soils, fermented and aged in small, used oak barrels, the total production rarely exceeds 1,300bts.
critic reviews
Opening to aromas of yellow apple and fresh lemon blossoms, the 2022 AVA Chenin Blanc is complex, layered and freshly expressive. Medium-bodied and with energetic acidity, the palate is succulent and complex, making me crave cheeses and fresh shellfish. It's a delightfully lingering wine that begs me to come back for more. I can't put down my glass.
The 2022 Chenin Ava is aged in 400-liter used oak. This has a gorgeous bouquet with white peach, quince and pressed yellow flowers, quite mineral-driven and very harmonious. The palate is very well-balanced with fine delineation, fresh and vibrant, fanning out wonderfully towards the tensile finish. This is one of Donovan Rall's most precise wines to date.