Our beverage director, Toni DeLuca, was invited to South Africa to explore the wine producers of Baobab Wine Imports. Baobab is a company that focuses on family owned and operated vineyards with a commitment to tell the true story of the South African wine industry — the history, terroir, culture and people that are driving the future of winemaking in South Africa. Baobab represents small estates crafting wines with a thoughtful and often minimal intervention approach.
The Winemaker: Opstal Estate
Attie Louw and his brother, Zach, are at the helm of this incredible family estate handed down by their father Hercules “Stanley” Louw. Stanley is still lending a helping hand on the farm. Opstal is located in the Breede River Valley and is part of the Breedekloof subzone, known as the heartlands of Chenin Blanc. This is easily recognized when tasting what Toni feels to the best Chenin Blanc of her trip: The Carl Everson Chenin!
The Wine: Carl Everson Chenin Blanc
Carl Everson was the visionary 4th generation farmer at Opstal Estate (Attie and Zach’s great-grandfather). This wine honors Carl’s legacy and perseverance in working the family land during hard economic times. This Chenin is crafted from old vines from a single vineyard, planted in 1982, and naturally fermented in old French barrels with minimal cellar intervention to honor the grape’s authenticity. It has a generous and lush palate with flavors of quince, peach and pineapple. There is a distinctive depth and complexity of fruit that is truly unmatched with most other whites!
This is only one of many excellent wines Toni brought back to our shops from South Africa and all of them have something to say. We love sharing knowledge about the wines we have in our shops because we truly only bring them in if they are something special. You can find out more by visiting our blog at www.provisionswine.com.
