The 2024 Revenge of the Crayfish Chenin Blanc was the earliest harvest of this vineyard ever as the region experienced tremendous heatwaves up the West Coast and a generally earlier vintage across the Western Cape. As a result, the 2024 harvest involved and initial earlier pick for freshness and a slightly later pick for ripeness and body. This process might explain the tantalising interplay on the nose and palate between taut, tense, fresh flavours and richer, honied exotic fruit notes, components that marry incredibly well in the final blend to deliver a wine that is a slight departure from Sakkie’s more mineral, saline, pithy, maritime Weskus style. 

The vineyards in Koekenaap are located around 5kms from the ice-cold Atlantic Ocean on well drained Sandstone soils. Grapes were hand harvested early in the morning, then taken to a cold room and cooled down for one night. The next day the grapes were whole bunch pressed in a membrane press, with the juice being taken to a stainless steel tank for natural cold settling. No enzymes were added except for a little sulphur.

Clear juice was racked off the next day into a stainless steel tank and some 500 litre barrels for natural fermentation to start. Fermentation took about 120 days (the longest fermentation time to date). Afterwards, all the finished wine was moved into old 500 litre barrels to age for 12 months on its gross lees before being bottled unfined and unfiltered. This is the first Crayfish that underwent 100% Malolactic Fermentation.

Sakkie Mouton Family Wines Revenge of the Crayfish Chenin Blanc 2024, WO Koekenaap, 13.41% Abv.

3.2g/l RS | 7.7g/l TA | 3.02p

The 2024 Crayfish Chenin Blanc is a very impressive creation boasting a rich, golden bronzed yellow hue in the glass. In this vintage, Sakkie seems to have shifted to a higher gear with a far more elaborate peacock’s tail array of exotic aromatics. Noticeably richer and more intense, there are layers of dried apricot, white peach, pineapple, and green apple with top notes of white blossom and tangerine citrus peel. The pithy pineappley fruit intensity does initially mask some of the maritime salinity and gravelly minerality but linger over your glass a little longer and these Weskus hallmarks eventually reveal themselves. The palate shows incredible depth and explosive intensity, fleshy and broad with lashings of tangy yellow orchard fruits, tart pineapple chunks, peaches in honey, salted caramel, and crystallised green apple on the finish. I don’t know if Sakkie has discovered a few new tricks in the cellar or if the vintage has played into his hands with graceful precision, but I suspect it’s a combination of both. This is undoubtedly a statement wine, a wine that demands attention and then delivers in bucket loads. The slight hint of added exoticism definitely suits Sakkie’s winemaking style! I am simply blown away by this new release! Drink now to 2035+.

(Wine Safari Score: 98/100 Greg Sherwood MW)

Sakkie Mouton Family Wines are available from award winning South African specialist merchant Museum Wines.