B Vintners Haarlem to Hope 2015
Editor Rating
- Rated 4 stars
- Excellent
- Stellenbosch
- Reviewed by: Treve Ring
- Published on: May 9, 2018
- Last modified: May 9, 2018
Review Summary:
B Vintners is a collab of cousins Gavin Bruwer and Bruwer Raats, both respected winemakers with their own labels. With B, they aim to tell the story of the some of the most interesting vineyards in the Cape, focusing on Stellenbosch. This is low-intervention Chenin and Semillon, with a splash of Muscat of Alexandria, whole bunch pressed, fermented and aged in older oak and with 10 months' time on the lees (the Muscat was done in stainless) before all was assembled, cold stabilised and bottled. The wood is evident, bolstering and batting around spicy citrus, lemongrass, white peach, and orange blossom, with Chenin's scratchy herbal wooliness lining the mouth amply. Dried apricot sticks to the medium/full palate, and wood spice lingers on the finish. The bracketing wood requires food to meet; herbal stuffed poultry on the fire would work beautifully.