Luddite Chenin 2024

This year we experimented with a bit more time on skins. This has given the midpalate a bit more texture and palate weight even though the alcohol has remained low. Normal house style keeping it simple; crush, destalk and allowing it to naturally ferment in open fermenters.

Once fermentation starts, we punch down twice a day to keep the ferment homogenous. After fermentation, we seal the bins and allow post maceration for as long as we can sleep comfortably without wondering what’s happening inside the bins. This vintage took 24 days on skins before our nerves broke, but we left 2 bins for 30 days extended skin contact to see if this would give us more texture. We pressed directly to barrel with as much sediment as possible. This allows the wine to fill out and add texture with our regular batonnaging.

This year is showing more fruit; peach, pears and melons. This wine remains a multi-dimensional experience, continually revealing different nuances and flavours. The palate is bold and weighty, even though the wine’s alcohol is below 12% like previous years. Good news is that we have a little bit more of our Chenin to offer. Our Chenin still remains a very thought-provoking wine.

Grapes were sourced from Luddite vineyard sites:

House Block harvested on 26th January 2024 Dog Block harvested on 1st February 2024

Average analysis of fruit at harvest

19.8° Balling, TA – 6.4 g/l, pH – 3.32

Tasting Notes as at 27th February 2025:

Appearance: Pale straw in colour.

Nose: Golden sultanas, honey and white pear.

Palate: Savoury, salty entry with a broad pithy mid-palate. Gooseberry and lime dominates the long, dry finish ever changing as it reacts with the oxygen in your glass. Very thought-provoking.

Analysis of the wine

Alcohol: 11.39% pH: 3.45 TA: 5.9 g/l RS: 2.2 g/l

2 540 bottles of this vintage were produced.