Thistle & Weed | Duwweltjie Chenin Blanc | 2022
Thistle & Weed | Duwweltjie Chenin Blanc | 2022
The Chenin that launched Thistle & Weed. For winemaker Stephanie Wiid and viticulturist Etienne Terblanche, the importance of site is everything - to make a great wine, it all begins with with where the grapes are sourced. The grapes for Duwweltjie (the Afrikaans word for the Devil Thorns that will cling to your shoes if you take a walk in this vineyard) come from 60 year old heritage bushvines in Paarl where the southern aspect and moderating wind that sweeps through the vineyard, ensures a longer growing season and brilliant natural acidity. The winemaking process is the same for all the T&W Chenins - the grapes are whole-bunch pressed and only the free run juice is used which is fermented in older French oak. The wine matures in these barrels for 9 months before bottling, unfined and unfiltered. If you can get some mates together, we strongly recommend trying all three of the Thistle & Weed Chenins side by side to see the difference in each vineyard! 13% Alcohol.
Nose & palate
Notes of tangerine, tangy grapefruit zest, and the versatile charm of pineapple on the nose. The palate is light but densely layered with a generously creamy texture with a refreshing and lively finish.
Pairing
If we’re going with local cuisine, the hints of pineapple lead us straight to sweet & sour pork!
Accolades
94 Points - Wine Magazine
About Thistle & Weed
An independent collaboration between winemaker Stephanie Wiid and viticulturist Etienne Terblanche. Together, they set out to discover the best of the Cape’s hidden gems, intent on crafting honest natural wines that are made with a deep connection to nature and offer the most simple expression of the terroir from which they come.
They immediately gained critical acclaim for their Chenin Blanc in particular and now produce three different Chenins from three different old-vine sites around the Cape. Stephanie employs the same minimal intervention winemaking approach to produce pure, site-specific wines. Their wines are Afrikaans names for different thistles and weeds found amongst the vines grown in the Cape. Etienne and Steph draw parallels between thistles and weeds and the uncompromising tenacity and survival skills of grapevines.
