South Africa, Coastal Region
Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc
93 pts James Suckling
90 pts The Wine Advocate Points
93 pts Tim Atkin
JamesSuckling.com
Dried blossoms, honeysuckle, dried apricots, daffodils, vanilla, cream and cloves. Full body, lovely acid drive, layers of stone fruit and a long finish. Drink now. A blend of Chenin blanc, Grenache blanc and Sauvignon blanc.
James Suckling
South African Report 2018
Founders is a new line aimed at the pricier end of the market. This white version combines Chenin Blanc with 30% each of Grenache Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc, all of it wood fermented. Focused, savoury and leesy, with citrus and honeysuckle flavours and a dusting of aromatic spices. 2019-23.
Tim Atkin
13.5%
dry
The Founders Series is a very small selection of the best wine in the cellar. It follows the Bellingham style and maximum of 5 barrels are selected every year. The concept is to honour Bellingham's pioneering founders, Fredagh and Bernard Podlashuk, affectionately known as Freda and Pod. This power couple's bold vision not only for their iconic brand, but the South African wine industry as a whole, left a legacy for the ages. A rare greatness and inspiration, something that these special wines aim to emulate.
Where the magic begins for this magnificent white blend, comprised of Chenin Blanc (40%), Grenache Blanc (30%) and Sauvignon Blanc (30%). The Chenin Blanc is from two deep-rooted, mature vineyards in Stellenbosch and Durbanville, where the decomposed granite soil contains a high clay content, leading to low stress levels, even in the driest of vintages. The unirrigated blocks deliver structure and varietal detail. The Grenache Blanc comes from the shallow decomposed-granite in the Voor-Paardeberg region, specifically chosen to reduce Grenache vigour and thus lends texture to the blend, while the weathered-shale Sauvignon Blanc (Wine of Origin Cape Town) ensures cool-climate freshness and elegance.
Richard Duckitt
Grapes are hand picked in the vineyard and hand sorted again at the cellar to ensure that only the ripe and top quality fruit continue on the winemaking journey. All three cultivars are fermented in barrels and left on the lees for 12 months with regular batonnage. Half of the Chenin Blanc is fermented in 300 L barrels and half in a first-fill foudre. This large French oak vat enhances the fruitier qualities of the grape. The Grenache Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc are fermented in older barrels, and all barrels are cooled individually for gentle oak extraction and optimal flavor development. Only the finest barrels are selected to produce and a mere 600 liters bottles were selected in this vintage and only 800 bottles were bottled.
