Chenin Blanc, Noa, 2024
The debut Noa Chenin Blanc is the product of one concrete egg hailing from a high granitic parcel of vines on the Paardeberg planted in the early 1960s. Super cool and crispy on the nose with a sophisticated, flinty note, the overall impression is a pared-back super tense and citrus-driven Chenin. Some white flowers and herbs and a touch of leesy complexity on the finish. Really a wonderful Chenin Blanc which exhibits all the lively juice and fluidity of the Paardeberg.
critic reviews
The Rall 2024 Swartland Chenin Blanc Noa comes from two adjacent vineyard parcels planted in 1971 and 1981 across 2.1 hectares of old vines. Fermented in two concrete eggs and one foudre, with the eggs delivering the most energy, this vintage shows slightly more approachability. It comes alive in the mouth with vibrancy, depth and expressive movement, yet it would still benefit from time in bottle. These precious old bush vines rooted in Swartland’s ancient granite soils produce naturally low yields and concentrated fruit that translate into both power and lift.
The 2024 Chenin Noa differs from Ava by being matured in 3,000-litre foudres and coming from schistous soils. It has a beautiful nose with a little more precision than the Ava. The palate is a little oily in texture, quite spicy with a resinous finish, although overall, I feel that the Ava has a little more charm and personality.