Critics Ratings

'Every so often you come across a wine in its first vintage that’s simply, incontrovertibly worldclass. This is one of them. Made with Chenin from three blocks (7, 12 and 13) from Joshua Visser’s Oudam farm on the Skurfberg. Dense, rich and ferrous with salty freshness, coiled power and the sense that you are tasting a landscape, not just a wine. Incredibly long and satisfying. 2020-27.'- Tim Atkin MW, SA Special Report 2018, 97/100

'Citrusdal Mountain’s Skurfberg vineyard responsible for some of SA’s most renowned chenins; this majestic 2017 joins them. Power, richness, with resonating length to its bracing finish. A grand wine, deserving time & contemplation. Spontaneous ferment, older oak. Unfined, unfiltered, as all.' - Platter's SA Wine Guide 2019, 4.5* (94/100)

'Grapes from the Skurfberg farm called Oudam owned by the Visser family. A captivating nose of hay, pear, peach, citrus and apple plus earth and a little leesy complexity. Extraordinary fruit concentration making for a palate that’s rich but perfectly balanced and absolutely flavour packed. Lovely proportions, plenty of detail, the finish extremely long. Neat and tidy, which is to say so very well judged when it comes to the winemaking, but there’s also no denying that there’s a very special site involved making for something utterly distinctive. Alcohol: 14.24%' - Christian Eedes, Winemag.co.za, 98'/100

'The 2017 Hulkrains ("crying cliff") is named after a cliff close to the vineyard that is said to weep when it rains. Hitherto it was blended into the Cartology. The vines were planted on 1976 on red sand soils located at 450 meters above sea level. The wine has a wonderful, pure bouquet of dried honey, orange blossom, broom and just a hint of wild fennel, all detailed and expressive of their place of origin, as depicted on the label. The palate is very well balanced with touches of honeysuckle on the entry and a fine bead of acidity, and quite saline in the mouth, showing a touch of lemongrass toward the persistent finish. Outstanding.' - Neal Martin, Vinous, 95/100 (Aug 2018)

'The 2017 Hulikrans is a bit more on the steely and acidic side. The mouthfeel is lifted and punchier on the mid-palate. It reminds me of the classic Loire "acid slam" that you get from warmer vintage Chenin Blanc from the Loire Valley. The lemon-focused, white flower nose and palate are classic descriptors for Chenin, with the soft phenolic bitterness that one would expect. This wine has some of the textural complexities that make the mouthfeel interesting for me. Medium-bodied, the wine ends with a medium finish. These grapes come from the Odam farm in Skurberg, from dry-farmed bush vines with low yields. Only 280 cases made.' - Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, 91/100 (Oct 2019)

Provenance

Wine Cellar Private Client