Chenin Blanc Cat's Cradle, Thorne & Daughters 2024

The 2024 Chenin Blanc Cat's Cradle Old Vine contains an additional vineyard west of Malmesbury that is shared with Chris Alheit, though 75% of the wine is still from Paardeberg. This has a wax resin, yellow fruit-scented nose that opens discreetly in the glass. The palate is very well balanced with a smooth texture, slightly honeyed in style with just a dab of lemongrass that enhances the finish. Lots of personality and a '24 as good as the excellent '23.

John Seccombe's Chenin Blanc is centred on the granite soils of the Paardeberg, with a 25% component from Malmesbury, making the most of four old-vine parcels in the Swartland. Rich, dense, compact and built to age, this is stony, pithy and intense, with notes of thatch and lanolin, citrus and orange zest flavours and bags of energy.

Lemon curd, oats, honeycomb, papayas, toast and mangoes on the nose of this flavorful white. It’s full-bodied, deliciously tropical and generous, yet structured and firm. Toasty and stony undertones to the fleshy, yellow fruit. Drink or hold.