Koelenbosch Houtverouderd Chenin Blanc 2007 offers exceptional value
Koelenbosch HOUTVEROUDERD Chenin Blanc 2007
Martin Stevens, maker of white wine at grower-owned winery Koelenhof in Stellenbosch, has made it his aim to rectify the image of “co-op wines”. Admitting that he himself had a sceptical approach to co-ops before starting at Koelenhof, Stevens is proud that today the only “supposed” co-op characteristic the Koelenbosch Houtverouderd Chenin Blanc 2007 has its price at R25 a bottle from the cellar.
Other than that, there is nothing ordinary about it. It is a well-balanced, fruit-driven wine that reflects better integrated oak than in previous years – a result of second- to fourth-fill French barrels. Grown on relatively low-yielding bush vines on a farm in the area, Stevens says that achieving the highest possible quality was the main consideration: “I wanted something special for the barrels, something that would not end up tasting cheap.”
A Value Award in WINE magazine’s 2009 Best Value Wine Guide and a rating of 4 Stars putting it among the front runners in this year’s SurePure Chenin Blanc Challenge prove that Stevens has achieved his goal.
Selected the Best Value Cellar Overall in the 2009 Guide, Koelenhof has over the past four years grown into a wine producer that is challenging co-op stereotypes. “We are not just a general wine cellar anymore, and we are increasingly realising that a successful wine business is as much about recognition as hitting the right price points, and that’s enough for me,” says Stevens.
