Ian Naude Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2020 Paarl

Chenin Blanc continues to be the standard-bearer for South Africa wines, and increasingly is being made in a powerful but refreshing style with less reliance on new oak. This is the first vintage of this single-vineyard release from Ian, from a vineyard in Paardeburg. It matures in old oak on the lees for six months, giving complexity and richness, but at its core remains an incisive, foody sort of wine, crying out for a roasted sole or maybe a big pork chop with sage and crispy potatoes.