OG Chenin Blanc

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Details

Variety

Chenin Blanc

Style

White

Region

Stellenbosch

Appellation

Stellenbosch

Producer

New Dawn

Country

South Africa

Trade Materials

Tasting Note PDF Shelf Talker PDF Bottle Shot

The Inspiration

Chenin Blanc is South Africa's OG varietal. Authentic. Exceptional. Foundational to the country's wine identity. We source this from Kaapzicht's bush vines planted in 1985 on northwest slopes in Stellenbosch. These old vines dig deep into decomposed granite soils and extract the essence of the site. We harvest by hand in the cool morning hours. Whole bunches go straight to the press to preserve purity. The juice settles naturally without sulfur. Native yeasts drive fermentation in seasoned barrels. Ten months of patient aging with minimal handling lets the vineyard speak. The result captures everything we love about great Chenin. Vibrant stone fruit meets zippy citrus acidity. A mineral backbone speaks to those ancient soils. Ocean breezes from Table Bay and False Bay moderate the warm afternoon sun. This creates tension between ripeness and freshness that makes the wine electric. This is Chenin showing why it deserves a seat at the world's finest tables.

About New Dawn

This isn't nostalgia. It's momentum.

Rüdger van Wyk is the founder and winemaker of New Dawn Wine Company, a bold South African wine brand rooted in storytelling, terroir and cultural fusion. Raised in a family of educators and driven by a deep sense of legacy, Rüdger rose from humble beginnings to become one of South Africa's most exciting winemakers, earning his place through working in some of the country's most respected cellars. With New Dawn, he champions an open-world philosophy that celebrates freedom of expression, ethical farming and the creative potential of South African wine on the global stage. The brand is built on the belief that wine should be a deliberate act of evolution: shaped by place, elevated by craft, and designed to change how the world sees South African wine. This isn't nostalgia. It's momentum. New Dawn is a Black-owned label, the first of its kind in this style, and from the accessible New Dawn White and Red to the premium OG Chenin Blanc and Dark Leap Red Blend, every wine tells a story of a new generation of South African winemaking that honors tradition while boldly forging its own path forward.

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