OLD VINES THAT BRING ‘A SENSE OF PLACE’

“Insightful, with character, a story and the sentiment of heritage.” If you could imbue a bottle with more of this, you would, wouldn’t you? Enter South Africa’s Old Vine Project (OVP), which is working with vineyards to recognise its “old vines” – those over 35 years old that, it’s claimed, make wine that tells a story of the land, culture and history in which they have grown. My tutorial starts in the impressive tasting room of Swartland’s Mullineux and Leeu Family Wines vineyard. My guide is OVP specialist Andre Morgenthal, whose passion is palpable – and infectious. “Winemaking – nothing expresses the land better than a vine.” The point, says Andre, is to plant to grow old, not move on as tastes change. And the wines are remarkable, the standout being Mullineux’s Old Vine White Chenin (the region makes more chenin than the rest of the world) – pale straw in colour, with a nose of ripe, green citrus fruit and Christmas spices (ergo, drinkable and moreish).

Age in vines, says Andre, shows less fruit, more intensity and a sense of place. Certainly it has travelled well, and a glass can transport me back to its origins. Invest in a bottle and it could be the best-value holiday you haveve ever had. oldvineproject. co.za