Limited bottling of top Stellenbosch single vineyard wine
The exciting second vintage of a limited-edition Stellenbosch wine only made in years of exceptional harvests has just been released. The Sense of Place Kastanjeberg 2020 is the flagship wooded, single-vineyard Chenin Blanc made by Stellenbosch Hills.
The new addition has the hallmarks of an award-winning wine and bears the gravitas and poise that, like all Sense of Place wines, is a great match with fine cuisine. Its memorable character makes the Kastanjeberg Chenin Blanc an ideal wine in winter or summer, come rain or shine.
The 2020 vintage Kastanjeberg follows on the 2017, its predecessor and the first of range that was showered with glowing reviews:
"Pure class" - The Herald newspaper.
"As a food wine it is superb." – veteran food and wine writer Michael Olivier.
"We make some sublime Chenin Blanc here in SA - this is one of them..." – SA Wine Reviews.
Furthermore, the 2017 was recommended by Michael Fridjhon as a wine for an “elegant meal”, a “summer meal”, to “impress your boss” or to “dazzle a date”. Christian Eedes of WineMag.co.za awarded it 90/100 points. It was a medal winner at Veritas 2019, IWSC 2019 Michelangelo International Wine & Spirit Awards 2020, and Vitis Vinifera 2020; received four stars in the 2020 and 2021 Platter’s guide; and, was named Grand Cru National Champion Best in Class and Top 100 at the NWC/Top 100 SA Wines 2020.
In fact, the wine so impressed Diners Club wine judges that it included Stellenbosch Hills winemaker James Ochse as a finalist for the 2019 Diners Club Young Winemaker Award.
Now the 2020 vintage offers renewed momentum for the lauded wine and Sense of Place range. The wooded Chenin Blanc is rich, complex and displays effusive aromas of citrus, sweet melon, pear fruit, honeysuckle, violets and vanilla oak spice. On the palate, the full-bodied wine erupts with pear and peach flavours combined with hints of vanilla and almonds.
A well-weighted mid-palate is balanced by a creamy texture and juicy tannins, lingering to a near-eternal finish.
The name Kastanjeberg is derived from the Cape Chestnut or Calodendrum capense trees that thrived at the Cape in the early 1800s.
As with the 2017, the grapes come from a single vineyard on the slopes of the Kastanjeberg Farm in the Stellenbosch Kloof area. “Dry conditions throughout the season made for smaller berries, but with intense flavour,” says James. “The result is wine with ageing potential of five to ten years.”
Only 2 700 bottles were produced.
This limit is one of the hallmarks of Stellenbosch Hills’ flagship Sense of Place range, which was established in 2019 to provide insight into some of South Africa's finest terroir in Stellenbosch. Its aim is to showcase the diversity of expressions that vineyards at their peak are capable of.
The range also includes a glorious Cape Blend called Suikerboschrand, the Anna Christina Cap Classique, and La Serena aperitif.
The Kastanjeberg 2020 sells for R295 and is available from the winery and selected boutique wine stores, as well as online through the Stellenbosch Hills website.
For more information about Stellenbosch Hills, visit www.stellenbosch-hills.co.za; call 021 881 3828/9; or, email info@stellenbosch-hills.co.za. Stellenbosch Hills is also on
Stellenbosch Hills is located at the intersection of the R310 and Vlottenburg Road, just outside Stellenbosch. It is open Monday to Friday, 09:00 – 17:00; and, Saturdays: 10:00 – 15:00; and, closed on public holidays.
Comments