A.A. Badenhorst Family Wines are produced on Kalmoesfontein Farm in the Swartland Appellation in the Western Cape.
Adi Badenhorst, owner and winemaker, moved on from making wine for years at Rustenberg to pursue this really exciting project in the Swartland.
The A.A. Badenhorst Family Wines range has a Red and White Blend, both exquisite but I will be concentrating on the White Blend 2008 as it is my wine of the month December 2011.
The white blend consists of Chenin Blanc, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Viognier, Verdehlo, Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. I think this blend is predominantly Chenin Blanc whereas the 2007 white blend was Roussanne dominated.
The wine was matured for 13 months in casks and after being racked and blended it spent a further 6 months on the lees, giving the wine its uncanny complexity and individuality.
This is an interesting blend with complex aromas of perfume, blossoms, spice, honey and fantastic fruit depth of citrus fruits, fresh apple, melon and characters of drupe fruits such as peach - Almost like a fruit salad. The nose follows through onto the palate with firm minerality and good acidity. The rich fruit flavours are dominant and the finish is long and lingering.
It is a well balanced, layered and complex wine. It has a similar style to that of wines produced in the Rhone Valley in France.
This is truly a superb, unique white blend that I liked immensely. A.A. Badenhorst Family Wines is a fairly new venture and one for the future for sure!
My Rating: 18/20
