A drink with…
Ken Forrester
South Africa’s ‘Mr Chenin’ is a flagbearer for a grape once seen as a mere workhorse in the Cape. Today, Cape Chenin Blanc stands proudly alongside the world’s best, with Ken Forrester wines regularly at the forefront. His Old Vine Reserve Chenin Blanc 2021 won a Best in Show (97pts) at this year’s DWWA. ‘Everyone likes a bargain. I want people to see my wine and say: I’m happy to pay for that again and again. And for that I have to overdeliver. So to have not only one of my Chenins, but a Chenin from 35-year-old vines, which costs about £15, to be recognised as the world’s best Chenin Blanc – well, that’s what it’s all about!
‘We practise organic farming so we harvest by hand. It’s more effort but we’re also able to help more that way. We now employ 140 people, and many of the pickers are part of the same family. When you have a family of six or eight people, that money can really make a difference.
‘Focus on the sprinkles. There’s a reason lots of people don’t make a 100% Mourvèdre or Petit Verdot or even Merlot. They’re not great on their own but, in tiny amounts, they enhance a wine. It’s like the bit of pepper on your steak or some sea salt in your chocolate – it makes them taste better! It doesn’t mean you want to eat a pile of pepper or salt.
‘We have this amazing Chenin Blanc vineyard in Helderberg, planted in 1975 and part of the Old Vine Project [which certifies the age of vines that are 35 years and older]. Because of the vines’ age, there was a bit of leafroll virus, which affects ripening. So what to do? If you can’t get it ripe, make it sparkling! And that’s how my first fizz, Sparklehorse, was born.
‘Picking by hand, you’re only getting the good stuff. And you can guarantee it’s vegan. Try telling a vegan that there might be a bird’s nest or spiders mulched in with their machine-picked wine!
‘If you want to play jazz, you need to learn the classics. It’s only when you have a classical background that you can start being experimental. So we had Sparklehorse, now it was time to try a pét-nat. Stained Glass is made from Grenache, aged 18 months on lees. It’s the ultimate Wimbledon fizz – bone-dry but tastes like fizzy strawberries and cream.’
To read the full interview by Tina Gellie, see decanter.com