AXLE Chenin Blanc 2022
Natte Valleij
- £26
In stock
£280.80 for 12 Save 10% (£23.40 each)
- Producer
- Natte Valleij
- Grape Varieties
- Chenin Blanc
- Origin
- South Africa > Western Cape > Darling
Cult South African Chenin. Winemaker Alex Milner's passion is seeking out forgotten patches of old dry-farmed bush vines and restoring them to their glory. The AXLE Chenin's first vintage was only in 2018 but was quick to receive critical acclaim. A wine of exceptional quality and intrigue, it's getting better and better every year.
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"Chenin at its ragged, rugged, sonorous, glorious best. Like a sculpture that the sculptor left halfway finished because s/he didn't have the words and the rock from which it was hewn did. Like honey on quarried marble; like a tablespoon of crème brûlée followed by a cool breath of thyme. Custard apples. Silk and sand."- 17 / 20 Tamlyn Currin for JancisRobinson.com
“Alex Milner has been using this 1985 block on decomposed granite soils in Darling since 2018, handling it oxidatively in barrel for more complexity. This shows the freshness and minerality of its site, with oatmeal, thatch and white flower aromas and pear and pithy green apple flavours. Drink now-2028.”- 93 points - Tim Atkin
- Aromas of ripe pear, orange blossom and spice, balanced off by a beautiful chalky minerality. Punchy flavours of clementine and quince, ripe apricots and dried peaches.
- Grown from dry-farmed bush vines planted in 1985.
- Wines are fermented naturally in seasoned barrels and aged sur lie for 9 months.
- 17/20 (2018), 17.5/20 (2019), 18/20 (2020), 17/20 (2022) from Tamlyn Currin of jancisrobinson.com
- Pairs nicely with a seafood gratin, a goat's cheese tart or a bowl of moules frites!
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THIS VINTAGE HAS SOLD OUT - APOLOGIES. Securing a formidable 98 points from Decanter, the 2021 Darling Cinsault by Alexander Milner is a masterstroke in winemaking. Born from the Cape's most secluded and formidable terroir, a mere 16kms from the Atlantic's cooling influence, this wine is a sensory journey. It beckons with a rose-petal hue, unfolds with notes of earthy strawberries and wild cherries, and leaves a lasting imprint of grace and complexity. A standout today, and a promise of continued brilliance till 2028.