White | Ready, but will keep | Reverie | 2017 | South Africa > Western Cape > Swartland | Chenin Blanc | Light Bodied, Dry | 11% abv

Jacques de Klerk's day job is making wine at Somerset West producer Radford Dale. Like many a talented winemaker in South Africa, Jacques has more than one string to his bow. His second string is Reverie, a Chenin Blanc from the Paardeberg (and now joined by a Pinotage).

From a single vineyard planted in 1978, "rooted in the purest, crunchy, ancient granite soils I have ever seen, these vines have gone without irrigation their entire life and have grown up tough and hardy", so says Jacques.

Just 350 bottles of the scarce 2017 vintage came to the UK, with volumes drastically reduced by the drought in the Western Cape but these hardy old vines with their deep roots weathered the worst and though fewer grapes grew, those that did gave intensely concentrated flavours, which you'll find in this marvellous Chenin.