More than two decades on since the maiden vintage release of the FMC which was labelled as the Meinert Scholtzenhof Grande Chenin 2000, the 2020 is about to be released onto the market. Always a wine with a very distinctive personality, premium quality concentration and more often than not a subtle complexing hint of botrytis characteristics together with a hint of residual sugar, the FMC is a striking expression of Chenin Blanc that has earned itself a massive global following.

Produced primarily from a vineyard planted in 1974 with no trellis system, the vines are grown in the goblet method or as bush vines, with the vineyard producing very limited yields which are picked over multiple tries, with pickers passing through the vineyard 7 to 8 times over a 4-to-5-week window. The wine is then fermented with natural yeasts in large 400 litre French oak barrels and aged for 10 to 12 months before another barrel selection chooses the best lots for the final assemblage.

Ken Forrester Wines FMC Chenin Blanc 2020, WO Stellenbosch, 13% Abv.

6.1g/l TA | 9.4g/l RS | 3.67pH

Another bold and distinctive Chenin Blanc that shows a confident, rich, exotic bouquet of honey on warm buttered white toast, honeysuckle scents, apricot preserve and crystalised tangerine peel. On the palate there is a ripe glycerol mouthfeel that is simply bursting with sweet lemon and white citrus notes, green mango, papaya, quince and pithy orange marmalade. In true FMC style, the wine delivers some incredibly audacious flavours and complexity with a wonderfully viscous mouthfeel intricately balanced by fresh tangy acids, honied apricots, brioche and orange blossom nuances. The finish is intense and generous but also fresh and dry despite the wine’s hallmark RS. This is yet another benchmark Chenin Blanc effort from Ken Forrester Wines. Drink now and over the next 5 to 8+ years.

(Wine Safari Score: 94+/100 Greg Sherwood MW)