The Sadie Family 'Mev. Kirsten' Chenin Blanc 2024 750ml

Product Info

97+pts Vinous Media
The 2024 Mev. Kirsten comes from the oldest Chenin in the Cape, originally planted in 1905 and then every other row was pulled out in 1946. Factoid: it was the first vineyard in South Africa ploughed by tractor. It has a fragrant bouquet with sea spray, light lanolin and crushed chalky scents. The palate is beautifully balanced with a wonderful texture, perfectly balanced, laser-like focus, with a deft hint of lemongrass on the prolonged finish. Brilliant. Drinking Window: 2027 – 2049

Two major bits of news: firstly, Eben Sadie’s new winery is now up and running. The 2024 vintage is the first made in the new facility, which friend and neighbour Adi Badenhorst has dubbed the “church of Eben.” Indeed, there is a quasi-ecclesiastical vibe to the new buildings that would not look out of place in Bordeaux, planned down to the very last detail by Sadie himself. Clearly, he is relieved that after years of construction and all the stress that entails, the builders have finally left. Sadie can now enjoy what is incontrovertibly the most impressive winery in Swartland, replete with a gravity-fed system, a library of back vintages, a tasting room and a state-of-the-art kitchen so that his workers are properly fed.

Secondly, two new cuvées have been added to the Old Vine Series portfolio. “Sonvang is a single vineyard of 12 varieties from our nursery, which is designed to improve massal selection,” Sadie told me as he began to list the varieties. “Alicante, Pontac, Trincadeira, Tinta Barroca, Cinsault, Grenache, Carignan, Pinotage, Counoise…. Each variety is planted in rows to examine for virus, and they are picked around eight days apart. This is the third vintage we have made but the first to be commercialised. It has the highest natural acid amongst my wines.” The other new introduction is Twiswind, a sibling to Sonvang inasmuch as it is a white field blend, including Assyrtiko, Clairette, Grillo, Sémillon and others.

“The 2024 vintage is the first for which the new winery was fully up and running. The investment has made a big difference. During the season, it didn’t rain for seven-and-a-half months, which was very challenging at the end of ripening. Fortunately, we had 30% of the wind in 2024 that we had in 2021, so there was less evapotranspiration, and the heatwaves in February were not intense. All the reds in the OVS use 30% whole cluster.” (Sadie confessed that, looking back, he used too many stems between 2012 and 2015.) Reviewed By:  Monica Larner

It is no news to anyone familiar with South African wine that Eben Sadie’s wines can be spellbinding. They are not for everyone, and the Old Vine Series in particular would not appeal to those seeking fruit-forward, ripe and immediately satisfying wines. They can be minimalist in style, based around texture and nuance, opening with time in the glass but never obvious. The new wines clearly deserve their places in such auspicious company, especially the 2024 Sonvang. Among the difficult-to-pronounce other labels (unless you are Dutch), this year I was taken by Chenin Blanc or Chenin blends such as the Skerpioen, Rotsbank and Mev. Kirsten. The 2023 Columella is outstanding. Fans of Sadie’s signature red cuvée should note that I will be undertaking a comprehensive vertical of this alongside mature bottles of OVS later this year.

Terroir
Sourced from South Africa’s oldest Chenin Blanc vineyard—planted in the early 1900s in Stellenbosch—Mev. Kirsten comes from a tiny, dry-farmed parcel rooted in deep, decomposed granite and shale. These elderly bush vines produce minuscule yields, but the resulting fruit is extraordinarily concentrated, carrying the weight of age and history in every cluster. The site’s exposure and maritime influence keep temperatures moderated, preserving acidity even as the grapes reach phenolic depth. The vineyard’s age expresses itself in a kind of textural quietness—nothing forced, nothing exaggerated—just pure, mineral-laden Chenin shaped by a century of weather and struggle.

Winemaking & Technical Notes
Eben Sadie’s approach here is wholly minimalist, emphasizing precision and restraint. The fruit is hand-harvested in the early morning, followed by whole-bunch pressing to retain purity. Fermentation occurs spontaneously with native yeasts in old, neutral foudres, allowing the wine to develop without any overt oak signature. Aging continues on the lees for several months, adding subtle roundness and aromatic layering without compromising linear tension. No fining, nearly no filtration, and only minimal sulfur are used—each step designed to preserve transparency and the intricate signatures of these ancient vines. Production is extremely limited, ensuring that every bottle represents a painstakingly careful expression of the vineyard.

Tasting Notes
The 2024 vintage offers a striking interplay of delicacy and structure. Aromas open with white peach, yellow apple, and pear skin, followed by nuanced tones of chamomile, honeycomb, beeswax, and crushed seashells. With air, deeper layers unfurl—quince, lemon oil, almond cream, and delicate herbal echoes of fennel frond and dried hay. The palate is taut yet texturally rich, beginning with bright, crystalline acidity before expanding into a silken mid-weight core of orchard fruit and savory mineral depth. Each sip carries a salty, granitic backbone, lending definition and a lingering impression of chalk and citrus pith. The finish is long, resonant, and quietly powerful—an elegant expression that gains complexity the longer it sits in the glass.

Food Pairing & Service
Mev. Kirsten’s balance of tension and gentle richness makes it ideal for refined pairings. Try it with salt-crusted white fish, scallops in beurre blanc, steamed clams with garlic and herbs, or roasted chicken with lemon and thyme. Its mineral character works beautifully alongside soft cheeses like Délice de Bourgogne, aged goat cheese, or mild washed-rind varieties. Serve at 50–54°F (10–12°C) in a Burgundy stem to emphasize aromatic breadth. While irresistible now, this wine’s structure and pedigree suggest exceptional aging potential—10 to 20 years for the patient collector.