Rich and showy, with lots of orange marmalade, dried apricot and peach, spice and maple notes. Juicy and unctuous through the sweet but fresh finish. Very tasty. Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc. Drink now through 2010. 500 cases imported.??–JM??Region: South Africa / Western Cape / Coastal Region / Stellenbosch / Stellenbosch Select to Add

(for 375 ml.; 95% chenin blanc blended with 5% sauvignon blanc; aged for 19 months in French oak, 82% new) Deep gold color. Liqueur-like aromas of dried apricot, honey and damp earth. Almost shockingly bright on the palate, with lively acids framing the intense flavors of orange peel, pineapple, beeswax and honey. The balance of 9.9 grams of acidity and 175 g/l r.s. is exhilarating. This rich and deep botrytis wine boasts excellent structure and cut, not to mention length, but I'd wait a year for the finish to mellow.

This Chenin-based dessert wine has aromas of apricots, honey and citrus, and on the palate, a dancing acidity that balances its lush, honeyed tropical fruit and honey flavors. A lingering finish adds elegance. The wine is lush but lively.——S.K.(6/1/2009)—— 91