1685 Chenin Blanc
⏳ Drinking Window
2022 - 2026
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Roasted chicken, creamy seafood pasta, mildly spiced curry
✨ Technical Specifications
Named in honor of the year the historic estate was established, the Boschendal 1685 Chenin Blanc is a masterful expression of South Africa's signature white grape. Sourced from selected vineyards across the Coastal Region, this wine benefits from diverse soil profiles, including decomposed granite and clay, which impart both mineral tension and rich fruit concentration. To craft its signature texture, a portion of the juice undergoes fermentation and aging in French oak barrels, while the remainder is kept in stainless steel to preserve the grape's natural, vibrant acidity. Extended lees contact adds a luxurious, creamy mouthfeel, beautifully balancing notes of ripe peach, tropical fruit, and subtle spice. This wine pays homage to centuries of Cape winemaking tradition, bridging Old World structure with New World fruit intensity.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1685 by Huguenot settler Jean le Long and developed by the De Villiers family, Boschendal is one of the oldest wine estates in South Africa. Anchored in the Groot Drakenstein Valley between Franschhoek and Stellenbosch, the estate's vineyards span granite, sandstone, and alluvial terraces sheltered by the Simonsberg and Drakenstein mountain ranges. This dramatic topographical setting yields a Mediterranean macroclimate defined by cool mountain breezes, dry summers, and generous winter rainfall, delivering vibrant natural acidity. Viticulture adheres to rigorous environmental stewardship as a WWF Conservation Champion and Integrated Production of Wine (IPW) practitioner. The winemaking philosophy emphasizes purity, site transparency, and textural balance across both stainless steel and French oak regimes. Boschendal is celebrated for its benchmark Cap Classique sparkling wines, including the Jean Le Long Prestige Cuvée, as well as exceptional still whites like the 1685 Chenin Blanc, Appellation Series Chardonnay, Suzanne white blend, and botrytised Vin D'Or Noble Late Harvest.
🍇 Grapes
Chenin Blanc
🍷 ABV
13.5%