[imagesource: Facebook / Chenin Blanc Association]

It’s less than 24 hours to go until Chenin in the Winelands, a picnic hosted on the lawns of Stellenbosch’s Spier wine estate, kicks into gear.

Tomorrow, Saturday, April 10, from 11AM (it’s midday somewhere in the world) through to 4PM, you can enjoy a selection of South Africa’s finest Chenin Blancs.

The open-air event is capped at 200 guests, with designated COVID-comfortable pods on the lawns.

There are only double tickets available, which start from R750, and they’re selling out rapidly, so head here if you want to snap one up before it’s too late.

Ticket holders receive a picnic basket for two, which includes a selection of tasty foods, a mystery bottle of Chenin Blanc, two glasses, and two hand-beaded glass holders.

All in all, there will be more than 60 Chenins and Chenin-based blends to try out, with live music from the Bottomless Coffee band to add to the ambience.

For those who can’t make it, fear not, because missing out tomorrow doesn’t mean you can’t taste the finest Chenins the country has to offer.

Anthonij Rupert Wyne, one of the participating producers, is showing off their Protea wines and Cape Of Good Hope wines, Riebeeksrivier and Van Lill & Visser Chenin Blancs at the event.

However, they also run numerous tastings on two historic farms Franschhoek farms, L’Ormarins and Anthonij Rupert Estate.

All in all, the Estate houses two tasting rooms, four state-of-the-art cellars, a lovingly tended rose garden, vineyards, the Franschhoek Motor Museum, and the Drakenstein Stud Farm.

But we came here to talk Chenin, so let’s have a gander at the two Cape of Good Hope wines, starting with the 2019 Van Lill & Visser Chenin Blanc.

According to the tasting notes, this gem has “enticing stone fruit aromas – nectarine and peach with a tinge of honeyed almonds”, whilst the “bright and vivid acid lifts the broad palate and keeps it fresh and vibrant, adding a pithy lemon zest nuance”.

Any wine description that contains the word ‘pithy’ is good in my books.

This beautifully balanced and rich Chenin goes for R355 a pop on the Rupert Wine online shop.

If that’s a little too dear for your tastebuds, the 2019 Riebeeksrivier Chenin retails for R150, and promises “dried stone fruit, yellow apple and ripe mango on the nose, with subtle hints of vanilla and wild flowers”.

You can hit the description out of the park if you add it has a “well-rounded and creamy mouthfeel”.

Visitors to the Estate, or the online shop, can also enjoy the Protea Chenin Blanc at R75 a bottle, featuring crispy apple, pear, and nectarine flavours.

Just watch out for the succulent flavours of white peach and kiwi fruit, which are “vying for dominance”.

Classic kiwi fruit, really. Never happy to take a backseat.

In addition to regular tastings, the Estate also offers brekkie and lunch at the Terra del Capo Tasting Room, to help you wash it all down.

See, all hope is not lost if you don’t manage to make it to tomorrow’s Chenin in the Winelands picnic.

You can find out more about tomorrow via the event’s Facebook page.