2024 Patatsfontein Steen
2024 Patatsfontein Steen
The wine smells of pear, wax, and a hint of lit matches. On the palate, it is straightforward and refreshing, with an invigorating acidity harmoniously embedded in a creamy texture. The finish is long, and the wine leaves a slightly salty aftertaste.
92/100 points Konstantin Baum
93/100 points Vinous (for the 2022 vintage)
A good two and a half hours east of Cape Town lies an ancient Chenin Blanc vineyard. The vines are rooted 800 meters above sea level in barren slate soil. Thanks to the help of numerous talented winemakers, the vineyard was first rediscovered, then revitalized, and today produces exceptional wines as part of the Patatsfontein project.
The Chenin Blanc grape variety has long played an important role in South Africa, where it is often bottled under the name Steen. In Afrikaans, Steen means “stone,” and when I tasted the wine for the first time, I immediately thought, “That fits!” The wine is complex, slightly reductive, spicy, and salty—and I loved it from the very first moment. I felt that it transported the character of this extraordinary vineyard directly into the glass and transported me between the gnarled old vines as I tasted it.
The wine smells of pear, wax, and a hint of lit matches. On the palate, it is straightforward and refreshing, with an invigorating acidity harmoniously embedded in a creamy texture. The finish is long, and the wine leaves a slightly salty aftertaste.
92/100 points Konstantin Baum
93/100 points Vinous (for the 2022 vintage)
