Recommended by the New York Times, Wine Spectator, Food & Wines, and Many More. Check out our recent Press.

Award-winning NYC wine shop – free local delivery & fast nationwide shipping. Learn more

Damascene, Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch Old Bush Vines, 2023

White Wine from South Africa, South Africa
by Damascene
$64.99
Taxes and shipping calculated at checkout.
Use code 10OFF to get 10% off 12+ bottles

Damascene, the shared project of Jean Smit (former winemaker at Boekenhoutskloof) and Canadian entrepreneur David Curl, sources outstanding established vineyards across South Africa's diverse regions. This Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc comes from old bush vines along the Bottelary Ridge on various soil types and orientations, with the 2023 vintage incorporating more granitic soils than previous iterations. The wine is luminous and bright, lifted by aromas of quince, peach, and summer-ripe apricot, with citrus notes and a touch of orange pith developing on the nose. The palate is well-balanced with keen acidity; touches of peach, nectarine, and lemongrass elevate the finish. Aged 11 months in 1,000-liter Austrian oak vats, this is a wine built to age through 2035.

Shipping

Every step of the journey is managed to uphold the integrity of each bottle.

  • Nationwide Access: Flat-rate shipping available to most U.S. states with delivery in 3-5 business days.
  • Temperature-Monitored Shipping: We closely monitor weather conditions and make informed decisions to ensure shipments travel safely, with insulated packaging and refrigerated transport available when required.
  • Wine-Specific Protective Packaging: Specialized materials designed to maintain label integrity and prevent breakage during transit.
  • Provenance Assured: All wines are maintained in climate-controlled conditions at our shop until the moment of dispatch.

Returns & Exchanges

We stand behind every bottle we sell.

  • Corked wine? Full refund or exchange within 60 days
  • Damaged shipment? Contact us within 48 hours
  • Storage or quality concerns? We're here to help


View our complete return policy →

Have Questions?

Our team is here to help.

Hours

Sunday - Thursday: 12 pm - 8 pm

Friday: 11am - 9pm

Saturday: 10am - 9pm

Email: help@flatiron-wines.com
Phone: (212) 477-1315

Antonio Galloni

92 points

"The 2023 Chenin Blanc Old Bush Vines Stellenbosch comes from vines along the Bottelary Ridge with various orientations on different soil types. In 2023, Jean Smit felt that it needed more granitic soils in the blend. This is fresh and bright on the nose, more citrus-driven than its Swartland counterpart, with just a touch of orange pith developing with aeration. The palate is well balanced with a keen line of acidity. Touches of peach and nectarine and a hint of lemongrass lift the finish. This has a little more vigor than the Swartland this year." —Neal Martin

Robert Parker

95 points

"With fruit from old bush vines, the Damascene 2023 Stellenbosch Chenin Blanc is luminous and bright with lifted aromas of quince, peach and summer-ripe apricot. A little motto on the back label reads, "less cult, more cultivation." That adequately sums up the philosophy of this detail-minded estate. The wine is incredibly linear and precise. The vineyards have granite, graywacke sandstone and shale soils and were planted in phases in 1972, 1980 and 1981. This release of 2,985 bottles matures in 1,000-liter oval Austrian oak vats for 11 months. This is beauty." —Monica Larner

More about

Wine Details

  • Grape Variety

    Chenin Blanc

  • Vintage

    2023

  • Size

    750ml

  • Farming Practice

    Organic

  • Sweetness

    Dry

  • Body

    Full Bodied

Flatiron's Take

From the Importer

What Skurnik Wines has to say about this wine:

100% Chenin BlancSourced from 3 hilltop sites in Bottelary ward: Sonop, Houmoed, and MooiplaasSonop block was planted in 1982 on shale situated NE extreme of the mountain rangeHoumoed block was planted in 1972 on Greywacke soils situated on extremely steep North facing slopesThe Mooiplaas block was planted in 1980 on a granitic outcrop overlooking False Bay and Table BayHand harvestedWhole clusters were sorted and pressed with a delicate champagne-cycleEach block was fermented separately with indigenous yeast and matured separatelyA small portion was fermented on the skinsRoughly 30% of the way through fermentation, the grape must was transferred to 1000L oval-shaped Austrian oak foudres, followed by 11 months of sur lie maturationNo battonage

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Perfect Pairings

Roasted fish, shellfish, goat cheese, herbs & salads, light curries, apricot-glazed poultry.

Tasting Profile

Quince, peach, apricot, citrus, orange pith, lemongrass. Medium body, keen acidity, mineral grip. Bright, elegant finish.