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The wine region of Walker Bay can, at times, appear a little staid. It’s producers, by and large, adopt a fairly classic aesthetic, and their cultivar choices seldom never stray too far from the textbook recommendations for the region: Chardonnay; Pinot Noir; Sauvignon Blanc. It’s for this reason that a young outfit like MaanSchijn provide as much refreshment through their wines as they do through their ethos.

Winemaking duo Paul Hoogwerf and Doug Mylrea (“mill-re-ah”) have a superbly well-defined penchant for the classic aromatic varieties of the Old World; Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Viognier, and Muscat d’Alexandrie. But that, said, when it comes to their white wines at least, the duo do understand that they are in one of the most prestigious Chardonnay regions in the New World, and so it would be amiss not to include the influence of a cultivar like Chard.

The range is pleasingly simple, featuring two white blends, two red blends, and a Methode Ancestrale.

If you have yet to sign up for your Monthly HanDrinksSolo Wine Subscription then you’ll have to hunt this wine down in your own time. But until then, here are my tasting notes and technical specs:

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👃🏼 A supremely extroverted nose of Breakfast punch / fruit cocktail juicebox, oranges, papaya, floral jasmine, homemade lemonade, and a touch of passion fruit.

👄 All of the above carries onto the palate, where the exuberant fruit is further complicated by some impressive texture delivered by the Skin-macerated Muscat. On the tail end, some real live-wire green apple skin and tart orange takes over from the tropical medley, and leaves the mouth watering for more.

It’s a hugely refreshing combination that makes you want to quaff it, if only you weren’t so busy noticing all the lovely details.

A hugely distinctive result that is both fresh and complex.

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🔬 Wine of Origin Walker Bay. The blend is made up of fruit from various vineyards across the Walker Bay district, and comprises 35% Muscat d’Alexandrie, 29% Semillon, 28% Chardonnay, and 8% Viognier. The largest component of Muscat d’Alexandrie is macerated and fermented on skins for 18 days.

Prod: 1200 bottles | Alc: 12% ABV | pH: 3.45 | RS: 1.7 g/L TA: 5.7 g/L