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Anthony Gismondi on Wine
Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanctext
90POINTS
16½/20

Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2015

Coastal Region, South AfricaThough this wine has been on our market for a while, this is a brand new vintage, and the one that was just named among the top ten Chenin Blancs judged in South Africa's annual Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Challenge. Winemaker Niël Groenewald uses low-yielding bush vines averaging 45 years in age from three weathered granite vineyards (Coastal Region’s Agter-Paarl, Durbanville and Bottelary Hills). Whole bunch pressed, this spends 12 months in French oak (50 percent new) with extended lees contact and regular batonnage. Richer and polished, with ample pear and white peach, a light honeysuckle cream perfume, and a swirl of savoury spices, hay, and stone texturing a round and creamy palate. Concentrated, confident, and wood-evident, but freshened with chenin's hallmark cue of acidity. Drinking well now but will impress more with some time in the bottle.Tasted: 28 October 2016Tasted by: Prices:
BC$23.99750mlBCLS
Producer: Bellingham - DGBDistributors: Andrew Peller Import Agency
Grape: Chenin BlancCSPC: 897710UPC: 6001506904674