September 2016 Imported Wine: 2015 A.A. Badenhorst Curator White, Swartland, South Africa
fine Wine Source Wine Club
September 2016
A.A. Badenhorst: A.A. Badenhorst Family Wines are grown, made, and matured on Kalmoesfontein Farm in the Swartland Appellation of South Africa. Swartland is a large wine producing region 40 miles north of Cape Town in the Western Cape Region and specializes in making rich, fruit driven wines from Shiraz, Chenin Blanc, and Pinotage. The Badenhorst family owns close to 70 acres of old bushvines in the Siebritskloof region of the Paardbeberg Mountain’s north face. The Badenhorst property is owned by the self-proclaimed “dynamic and good-looking” cousins Hein & Adi Badenhorst. Adi began making wine at the age of 13 and studied at Elsenburg in the Western Cape. He worked a few harvests in the Northern Rhone of France for Chateau Angelus & Alain Graillot, as well as Wither Hills in New Zealand. Adi also had stints at local cellars Simonsig, Steenberg, Groote Post, and nine years as winemaker at the esteemed Stellenbosch estate of Rustenburg. In 2008 he bought the Kalmoesfontein Farm with cousin Hein and they proudly practice biological farming and traditional winemaking. Today, Adi is an award winning winemaker, member of the Cape Winemakers Guild, founding member of the Swartland Revolution, and a proud father of two.
About: The Curator is a range of dynamic wines that are selected after each year’s vintage. The vineyards are mostly bush vines growing in granite and slate soils, and sourced from traditional farmers. The Chenin Blanc makes up the largest portion of this blend because it is the backbone and structure of this particular wine. The Chardonnay was naturally fermented and took a very long time to complete fermentation, resulting in great texture and wacky aromas of dried peaches, apricots, and ripe citrus. The Viognier completes the Swartland canvas by adding some spice and length on the palate.
Varietals: 60% Chenin Blanc/31% Chardonnay/9% Viognier
Alcohol: 13.72%
Tasting Notes: Broad and slightly rustic nose of dried peaches, apricots, golden raisins and ripe citrus. Good crispness and depth with a fruity citrus and slightly spicy flavor with good length on the palate.
Food Pairings: Shellfish, oysters, and either grilled or roasted seafood pair extraordinarily well with this white blend. Some spicy Thai shrimp, Indian curry chicken, or some Szechuan style dishes provide an interesting combination that will delight your taste buds!
Jim Lutfy’s Thoughts: Really concentrated with flavors of Golden Delicious Apples, pineapple, and mango! Great with Lebanese food or fish dishes with a citrus sauce.