Doran Chenin Blanc Reserve

Description

Doran Chenin Blanc Reserve is an oak-aged Chenin Blanc from Doran’s new plantings and 2023 was the first vintage released.

Doran Vineyards can be found on the Far Horizons Farm in the Voor-Paardeberg wine terroir located between Paarl and Riebeek Kasteel. Voor-Paardeberg is a small wine-growing area within the Paarl winegrowing district which was awarded its WO (Wine of Origin) in 2006. The nearest town is Wellington some 15 minutes away. The region enjoys a very hot and dry climate, with rain very rare in the summer months. Dry farming is very common in the area, with sea air from the Atlantic offering a vital moderating factor to the intense summer heat.

Doran Vineyards was established by Irishman Edwin Doran. Edwin first started visiting South Africa in 1981 and would go on to set up a very successful travel business bringing sports tours to the country. He sold the sports tour business in 2008 to Tui Travel Plc. He then bought Far Horizons Farm with his partner Andre Badenhorst in 2010. They immediately implemented a R50 million investment programme at the 179 hectare farm.  The estate is also run as a mixed farm with arable, Aberdeen Angus cattle and Île-de-France sheep.

The first vines were already planted at the farm in 1995 and included five red grape varieties, including Pinotage and Syrah, to this was added Grenache and Durif, and three white grape varieties, Chenin Blanc, Grenache Blanc, and Roussanne eventually followed in 2011. In 2019 Edwin’s son, Tom, joined the company.

The Chenin Blanc grapes for Doran Chenin Blanc Reserve come from the farm’s new plantings. After the crushing of the grapes, the free-run juice was fermented in older 225 litre French barrels. The wine was left on the lees for 14 months before bottling to add complexity and texture to the wine.