2022 Cape D’Or Wines Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa
Tasting Notes
This Chenin Blanc comes from the Western Cape region of South Africa. Chenin Blanc is the most planted varietal in South Africa and also one of the first varietals to be introduced to the region by Jan van Riebeek back in the 1650s. South Africa continues to be a global leader in Chenin Blanc production, producing some of the greatest expressions on the planet. Cape D’ Or Chenin Blanc is grown in organically certified vineyards that are producing exceptional quality fruit. The result is a classical Chenin Blanc that shows great quality and exceptional value.
This wine displays classical Chenin Blanc aromatics of straw, lanolin, and bruised peach, accompanied by a beautifully refined minerality. On the palate, one can expect vibrant acidity and a chalky mouth feel, making this wine extremely versatile when it comes to food pairings.
Specs
100% Chenin Blanc
Wine of Origin: Western Cape, South Africa
Aging: Stainless Steel for 5 months
Made with organic grapes
CCOF Certified Organic
Vine Age: 25 Years
Soils: Decomposed granite, shale, and sandstone
Elevation: 400ft
Alcohol: 12.5%
pH 3.3
Total Acid:5.5g/l
2023 Cape D’Or Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa
Tasting Notes
The fruit for this Sauvignon Blanc was sourced from sustainably farmed vineyards in South Africa. These vineyards are located in the Western Cape region of South Africa where cool afternoon breezes allow for favorable ripening conditions. Working with fruit from some of the oldest deposits of granite and shale soils on the planet allows for a balance between old-world texture and new-world freshness.
The wine is aged in stainless steel to maintain the true characteristics of the varietal. The result is a crunchy and zesty palate with a lingering aftertaste. Green apple, pink grapefruit, and crushed stone dominate the nose while fresh citrus and tropical flavors, together with an elegant mouthfeel, are felt on the palate.
Specs
100% Sauvignon Blanc
Wine of Origin: Swartland, South Africa
Aging: Stainless Steel for 3 months
100% Stainless steel fermentation at cold temperatures
Kept on the fermentation lees for added mouth feel and texture
Vine Age: 12 - 27 Years
Soils: Decomposed granite, shale, and sand
Elevation: 460ft rolling hills
Alcohol: 12.5%
pH: 3.5
Total Acid: 6.1g/l
What’s Included
6-bottles:
3x 2022 Cape D’Or Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa
3x 2023 Cape D’Or Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa Case:
6x 2022 Cape D’Or Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa
6x 2023 Cape D’Or Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa
Price Comparison
Not all wines for sale on winery website, $216/case MSRP
At Cape D’ Or Wines, we strive to offer wines that are true to the region from where they are grown. Our focus is to offer high-quality wines that are made using minimal intervention winemaking techniques, resulting in wines that showcase elegance and finesse. Low alcohol, soft tannins, and subtle texture are some of the key criteria for the Cape D’ Or portfolio.
The concept came to life when Ernst Storm and Tiaan Bezuidenhout got together and enjoyed a bottle of South African wine. Sitting around a kitchen table with a glass in hand, they reminisced about their time spent in South Africa and the exceptional wines from the Western Cape. With twenty-plus years of experience in the wine and hospitality industries, they knew that these unique, high-quality South African wines needed to be shared with other wines enthusiasts. And so, Cape D’Or was born!
Both from the Western Cape, Ernst and Tiaan, met in Santa Barbara, California. Tiaan moved from the Winelands of Stellenbosch, South Africa, to California as a management consultant for one of the Big Five consulting firms. He left corporate America twelve years ago, to successfully start his own businesses, financing wineries, startups, and importing South African wine. Similarly, Ernst grew up in South Africa and completed his viticulture studies at Elsenburg Agricultural School, in the Western Cape. After leaving South Africa to work a Northern Hemisphere harvest, Ernst settled in California. He is the owner/winemaker of a successful wine label as well as the winemaker for several other wineries in Santa Barbara County.
Cape D’Or Wines is the story of these friends.
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Cape D’Or South African Mixed Whites - $30 = 25.00%
Happy Monday, beautiful day this neck of the woods…(who cares, right? and who cares what the pros might have to say? c’mon ya know you do)… so let’s see if any words of wisdom…
Wine Enthusiast, tasting the Chenin Blanc:
85 points. The wine’s aroma of ripe apple leads to a light palate. Cooked pear and grapefruit flavors are framed by moderate acidity and disappear in a brief finish. — Jesica Vargas 11/1/23
USA Wine Ratings by Beverage Trade Network (who?) the Chenin Blanc:
2023 Awards. 88 points. Silver Medal. Earthy petrol-like note, which opens up to reveal smoky red apple flavours on the palate. Subtle floral, sweet lime, and basil notes add to the complexity. The wine has a medium body and is well-balanced.
On to the Sauvignon Blanc, a relatively recent review from Wine Enthusiast:
86 points. Subtle notes of peaches and candied oranges introduce a palate of stone fruit and leafy notes. This easygoing Sauvignon Blanc has gentle acidity and a brief finish. — Jesica Vargas 3/1/25
The Tasting Panel (tastingpanelmag.com) on the SB:
Pale, youthful appearance, bright citrus and mild herbal notes. Fresh and clean on the palate with moderate intensity, medium weight, ample acidity and a refreshing back palate. Cool fermentation in stainless steel to retain the vibrancy of the wines. 1/1/25
Suckling, the SB as well:
86 points. A lightly pithy white showing notes of lemons, beeswax and orange pith. It’s light- to medium-bodied on the palate, relatively neutral and short. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. Screw cap. 11/24
2023 Cape D’ Or Sauvignon Blanc - Tasting Panel Review: Pale, youthful appearance, bright citrus and mild herbal notes. Fresh and clean on the palate with moderate intensity, medium weight, ample acidity and a refreshing back palate. Cool fermentation in stainless steel to retain the vibrancy of the wines. 90 Points
@rjquillin I’m Nick from Cape D’Or Wines — we are all about terroir and varietal specific wines from the Swartland region in South Africa. I am a partner in the winery and handle our U.S. sales. Fire away if you have any questions about the wines!
@bahwm@rjquillin Great to hear that you enjoyed it! Organically farmed and made, from a very special vineyard site - soil profiles of decomposed granite, limestone, and table mountain sandstone lead to exceptional minerality and texture - this is one of my favorites!
2022 Cape D’ Or Organic Chenin Blanc - Robert Parker Review: Opening to a fresh and waxy nose, the 2022 Organic Chenin Blanc offers aromas of yellow apple skin, sweet citrus blossoms and peach pit. Light to medium-bodied, the wine shows a balanced structure with energetic acidity and a soft kiss of phenolic bitterness before displaying a hint of leesy texture over a lingering, spicy finish. This wine overdelivers at this price point. Only 26,000 bottles were produced from organic Chenin Blanc grapes. 88 Points
It’s always nice to get a labrat bottle; I would have preferred to have this review posted long before this. We try to be very conscientious about posting promptly, but were told it would be launching on Wednesday. Fortunately, we enjoyed it with dinner last night, so here goes. The 2022 Cape D’Or Chenin Blanc had a lovely nose, a bit muted because the wine was still well-chilled when I opened it, but I got hints of ripe peach and apricot, which became more pronounced as the wine warmed up a bit. I got more of the same fruits on the palate, along with a hint of citrus. It was a terrific accompaniment for the pumpkin lasagna left over from a few days before, with just the right acidity to cut through the rich pumpkin, ricotta, parmesan, and Asiago cheese. I loved it with dinner, and afterwards as well, as it continued to warm up. My last sip was at room temperature, and I can’t remember ever liking a white wine this much throughout the temperature range. Each time I picked up the glass, I made sure to check the bouquet before sipping, and each time I was richly rewarded. If the Sauvignon Blanc is half as good, this is an excellent deal at the six-bottle price, and an absolute steal at the case price.
Stop the presses!! Bahwm just noticed there was a little bit of wine left in my glass from last night. I was totally suprised that the nose was still vibrant, and the flavor didn’t seem oxidised at all. I don’t recommend being that careless, but on this occasion, I got away with it.
ddeuddeg received the coveted email last week, but he was given a different launch date! Oops! So, here we are, reporting for duty, late. Sorry about that guys! So, you’re still getting a two-fer, but only on the 2022 Cape D’Or Chenin Blanc.
I popped open the bottle and poured tasting portions in our glasses. I knew that the wine was a bit over-chilled, so I wanted to give it a few minutes to come up to a better temperature in the glass before tasting. The nose was fresh and crisp. I noticed something green, too, perhaps straw? I also noticed some minerality. The nose had me intrigued.
Now, to give it a taste. I got something crisp on the palate. It almost seemed like grapefruit, but no, I think it was more like peach, on second taste. The minerality showed through in the flavor profile providing a nice dryness to this wine. Clearly, this is an unoaked wine. There is also a slight bit of tartness showing through, helping to round things out. This is a well-balanced wine that paired well with our homemade leftover Pumpkin Lasagna and steamed broccoli with lemon juice and freshly ground pepper.
ddeuddeg neglected to finish all the wine in his glass last night. Horrors, I know! So, this turned into a bit of an experiment: he gave it a sniff and the wine still had a good nose even after sitting in an open glass for more than 16 hours! Normally, we would not do that! We finish our wines the day that we open them. The temperature in the house got down to 67 degrees overnight. We each were able to get a little taste today. I am happy to report that we still have a winner here! This wine has not oxidized much despite having been mistreated!
I figured that this wine would be about an $18 bottle at the winery. Apparently, that was a good guess as I checked the Casemates post! To be able to get it for $10.00 a bottle for a half case is really great! $7.50 per bottle at the case price is a MAJOR steal! My question is: What are you waiting for? Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat . . . don’t you sometimes give wine for Christmas presents? What about giving a bottle to various service providers?
2022 Cape D’Or Wines Chenin Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa
Tasting Notes
Specs
2023 Cape D’Or Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape, South Africa
Tasting Notes
Specs
What’s Included
6-bottles:
Case:
Price Comparison
Not all wines for sale on winery website, $216/case MSRP
About The Winery
Available States
AL, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, FL, GA, ID, IL, IN, IA, KS, KY, LA, ME, MD, MA, MI, MN, MO, MT, NE, NV, NH, NJ, NM, NY, NC, ND, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, VA, WA, WV, WI, WY
Estimated Delivery
Monday, Nov 10 - Tuesday, Nov 11
Cape D’Or South African Mixed Whites
6 bottles for $59.99 $10/bottle + $1.33/bottle shipping
Case of 12 for $89.99 $7.50/bottle + $1/bottle shipping
2022 Cape D’Or Chenin Blanc
2023 Cape D’Or Sauvignon Blanc
How much more are you saving by buying a full case?
(Note: tax and shipping are not included in savings calculations.)
Cape D’Or South African Mixed Whites - $30 = 25.00%
Happy Monday, beautiful day this neck of the woods…(who cares, right? and who cares what the pros might have to say? c’mon ya know you do)… so let’s see if any words of wisdom…
Wine Enthusiast, tasting the Chenin Blanc:
85 points. The wine’s aroma of ripe apple leads to a light palate. Cooked pear and grapefruit flavors are framed by moderate acidity and disappear in a brief finish. — Jesica Vargas 11/1/23
USA Wine Ratings by Beverage Trade Network (who?) the Chenin Blanc:
2023 Awards. 88 points. Silver Medal. Earthy petrol-like note, which opens up to reveal smoky red apple flavours on the palate. Subtle floral, sweet lime, and basil notes add to the complexity. The wine has a medium body and is well-balanced.
On to the Sauvignon Blanc, a relatively recent review from Wine Enthusiast:
86 points. Subtle notes of peaches and candied oranges introduce a palate of stone fruit and leafy notes. This easygoing Sauvignon Blanc has gentle acidity and a brief finish. — Jesica Vargas 3/1/25
The Tasting Panel (tastingpanelmag.com) on the SB:
Pale, youthful appearance, bright citrus and mild herbal notes. Fresh and clean on the palate with moderate intensity, medium weight, ample acidity and a refreshing back palate. Cool fermentation in stainless steel to retain the vibrancy of the wines. 1/1/25
Suckling, the SB as well:
86 points. A lightly pithy white showing notes of lemons, beeswax and orange pith. It’s light- to medium-bodied on the palate, relatively neutral and short. From organically grown grapes. Drink now. Screw cap. 11/24
fwiw
Any Rats out there? Tempted by the price, but…
@WkdPanda Labrat review is now posted. Don’t bother resisting temptation. Go for it!
2023 Cape D’ Or Sauvignon Blanc - Tasting Panel Review: Pale, youthful appearance, bright citrus and mild herbal notes. Fresh and clean on the palate with moderate intensity, medium weight, ample acidity and a refreshing back palate. Cool fermentation in stainless steel to retain the vibrancy of the wines. 90 Points
@CapeDOr
Welcome and thanks for joining the chat.
Any chance you could identify yourself and responsibilities with the winery?
@rjquillin I’m Nick from Cape D’Or Wines — we are all about terroir and varietal specific wines from the Swartland region in South Africa. I am a partner in the winery and handle our U.S. sales. Fire away if you have any questions about the wines!
@CapeDOr @rjquillin Hi Nick! Thanks for joining us and for introducing us to your wines! We really enjoyed the Chenin Blanc!
@bahwm @rjquillin Great to hear that you enjoyed it! Organically farmed and made, from a very special vineyard site - soil profiles of decomposed granite, limestone, and table mountain sandstone lead to exceptional minerality and texture - this is one of my favorites!
2022 Cape D’ Or Organic Chenin Blanc - Robert Parker Review: Opening to a fresh and waxy nose, the 2022 Organic Chenin Blanc offers aromas of yellow apple skin, sweet citrus blossoms and peach pit. Light to medium-bodied, the wine shows a balanced structure with energetic acidity and a soft kiss of phenolic bitterness before displaying a hint of leesy texture over a lingering, spicy finish. This wine overdelivers at this price point. Only 26,000 bottles were produced from organic Chenin Blanc grapes. 88 Points
It’s always nice to get a labrat bottle; I would have preferred to have this review posted long before this. We try to be very conscientious about posting promptly, but were told it would be launching on Wednesday. Fortunately, we enjoyed it with dinner last night, so here goes. The 2022 Cape D’Or Chenin Blanc had a lovely nose, a bit muted because the wine was still well-chilled when I opened it, but I got hints of ripe peach and apricot, which became more pronounced as the wine warmed up a bit. I got more of the same fruits on the palate, along with a hint of citrus. It was a terrific accompaniment for the pumpkin lasagna left over from a few days before, with just the right acidity to cut through the rich pumpkin, ricotta, parmesan, and Asiago cheese. I loved it with dinner, and afterwards as well, as it continued to warm up. My last sip was at room temperature, and I can’t remember ever liking a white wine this much throughout the temperature range. Each time I picked up the glass, I made sure to check the bouquet before sipping, and each time I was richly rewarded. If the Sauvignon Blanc is half as good, this is an excellent deal at the six-bottle price, and an absolute steal at the case price.
Stop the presses!! Bahwm just noticed there was a little bit of wine left in my glass from last night. I was totally suprised that the nose was still vibrant, and the flavor didn’t seem oxidised at all. I don’t recommend being that careless, but on this occasion, I got away with it.
ddeuddeg received the coveted email last week, but he was given a different launch date! Oops! So, here we are, reporting for duty, late. Sorry about that guys! So, you’re still getting a two-fer, but only on the 2022 Cape D’Or Chenin Blanc.
I popped open the bottle and poured tasting portions in our glasses. I knew that the wine was a bit over-chilled, so I wanted to give it a few minutes to come up to a better temperature in the glass before tasting. The nose was fresh and crisp. I noticed something green, too, perhaps straw? I also noticed some minerality. The nose had me intrigued.
Now, to give it a taste. I got something crisp on the palate. It almost seemed like grapefruit, but no, I think it was more like peach, on second taste. The minerality showed through in the flavor profile providing a nice dryness to this wine. Clearly, this is an unoaked wine. There is also a slight bit of tartness showing through, helping to round things out. This is a well-balanced wine that paired well with our homemade leftover Pumpkin Lasagna and steamed broccoli with lemon juice and freshly ground pepper.
ddeuddeg neglected to finish all the wine in his glass last night. Horrors, I know! So, this turned into a bit of an experiment: he gave it a sniff and the wine still had a good nose even after sitting in an open glass for more than 16 hours! Normally, we would not do that! We finish our wines the day that we open them. The temperature in the house got down to 67 degrees overnight. We each were able to get a little taste today. I am happy to report that we still have a winner here! This wine has not oxidized much despite having been mistreated!
I figured that this wine would be about an $18 bottle at the winery. Apparently, that was a good guess as I checked the Casemates post! To be able to get it for $10.00 a bottle for a half case is really great! $7.50 per bottle at the case price is a MAJOR steal! My question is: What are you waiting for? Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat . . . don’t you sometimes give wine for Christmas presents? What about giving a bottle to various service providers?
I was just telling my husband how much I missed having South African wines. Sounds like Bacchus heard my plea!
/giphy catastrophic-wayward-cook