Gabriel & Gysbert, 'Welville Old Vine' Chenin Blanc, 2024, Bonnievale (WO)

'One-Liner'
Old-vine Chenin with serious personality – citrus, yellow fruit and blossom layered with salted caramel, leesy richness and electric freshness.

Tasting Note
Pale yellow with lime-green highlights, opening with fragrant orange and peach blossom alongside ripe yellow fruit and a subtle hint of salted caramel. The palate bursts into life with Seville orange, yuzu, kumquat and fresh citrus carried by wonderfully bright acidity. Twelve months on the lees brings extra breadth and a creamy, gently savoury texture, with touches of butterscotch and caramel sitting neatly behind the fruit. There is real concentration here, but the freshness keeps everything precise and energetic rather than heavy. Long and layered on the finish, with citrus, flowers and a delicate creamy richness lingering beautifully.

Country: South Africa
Region: Western Cape
Sub-Region: Bonnievale WO
Grape(s): 100% Chenin Blanc
ABV: 13.5%
Friendly: Vegan, Vegetarian, Sustainable, Organic

Awards & Critics' Scores
Gilbert & Gaillard International Challenge – Gold Medal, 91/100
Michelangelo International Wine & Spirit Competition – Gold Medal
Platter’s South African Wine Guide 2026 – 4 Stars

The Story
Welville takes its name from an old health clinic built on the family farm in the 1930s, where patients, many travelling from Cape Town, would spend weeks recuperating from respiratory illnesses in Bonnievale’s dry climate while eating fruit and vegetables grown on the property. Today the Chenin Blanc comes from two blocks planted in 1992 on decomposed shale over clay-loam soils, around 130 metres above sea level. Winemaker Pieter Rossouw keeps the approach deliberately hands-off: the grapes are picked by hand in the cool of the morning, pressed without enzymes, then the slightly cloudy juice is transferred to first- and second-fill barrels for wild fermentation. The wine remains on its thick lees for twelve months with monthly bâtonnage, building richness and texture while preserving the vibrant citrus acidity that gives this old-vine Chenin such impressive energy.

Perfect With... (click me for the recipe)
- Meat/fish: Swordfish with tomato, capers and oregano
- Vegetarian: Peach, burrata and basil salad with toasted almonds
- Vegan: Roast squash, sage and hazelnut galette with spiced apple chutney