A.A. Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc 2025
The A.A. Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc is widely regarded as the wine that put the Swartland revolution on the map for everyday drinkers. Crafted by the charismatic Adi Badenhorst at the Kalmoesfontein farm, this isn't just a "budget" white wine - it is a serious introduction to old vine viticulture. Most entry-level wines are made from young, high-yielding vines, but not this one! The fruit for Secateurs comes from old bush vines planted in the 1960s and 70s on decomposed granite soils. These gnarly old stumps yield less fruit, but the grapes they do produce are packed with concentration and character. Forget thin, watery whites. This has texture. It pours a glistening straw colour and immediately throws out aromas of honey, orange blossom, and white peach. On the palate, it has a lovely waxy weight - almost creamy - balanced by a zip of electric acidity that keeps it refreshing. It finishes with a savoury, flinty grip that screams of the granite soils it grew in.
