Carinus Family Chenin Blanc 2024

Danie reckons this might be the best pound-for-pound value white wine in South Africa. You might have heard of Swartland… it means ‘Black Land’ and until not-too-long ago it was better known for producing grain than grapes. Wheat growers would have a few blocks of grapes to get their quota of brandy from KMV, South Africa’s ginormous spirits producer. It’s now home to the who’s-who of South African winemakers, who discovered that these old, previously unloved vines could actually make some of South Africa’s best and most iconic wines. I must admit that I’ve found Swartland a bit intimidating to get into in the past, so Danie and Hugo’s Family Chenin offers the perfect gateway to experiencing the region. The secret to Swartland is the combination of magical soils and sun exposure. And Danie enlists one of South Africa’s best winemakers, Lukas van Loggerenberg, to guide his amazing fruit into bottle. It’s the ultimate guilty pleasure white wine… you get limes, you get florals, pears and apples, with a lovely creaminess and touch of marzipan too. It’s super refreshing but will also stand up to any braai/barbecue dish too. The value here is insane… give it a try and tell us if you agree!