Carinus Family Vineyards – Stellenbosch

Cousins Danie and Hugo are 5th generation growers with prime vineyards in the Swartland, Devon Valley and the very exciting Polkadraai ward in Stellenbosch. Great wine is made in the vineyards and they supply a roll-call of exceptional producers – names like Alheit Vineyards, Crystallum, Raats Family Wines, Thorne & Daughters, Mulderbosch & LeRiche to name but a few. Embodying the drive of the new generation Hugo and Danie decided not only to sell grapes and have other people make great wines from them but to make some wine too. So started Carinus Family Wines using their selection from their 100s hectares to focus on what works in each area.

There are 3 Chenin Blancs from the Swartland from a 37 year old dry-farmed Malmesbury vineyard with Red Granitic soils – the Rooidraai Chenin Blanc selection and the more immediate Carinus Chenin Blanc. The Polkadraai Chenin Blanc has a beautiful minerality to it and with a pH of 3.14 has a long furure ahead of it. The high toned, whole-bunch crunchy Syrah is from the Polkadraai property. There are more wines in the pipeline with exciting new plantings coming into production. The wines have been warmly received in their homeland – the first year (2016) with the Rooidraai Chenin Blanc getting 5 stars in the Platter guide, Carinus Chenin 4 and a half stars as an example. The innovation doesn’t stop there as they also produce a wine each year under the Danchko Luka moniker. These are made in collaboration with Lukas van Loggerenberg (recent Tim Atkins Young Winemaker of the Year) for whose solo wines they provide some fruit and with whom they also share their Devon Valley winery. The 2018 release is a Muscat de Frontignan from Danie’s sister’s property in Stellenbosch’s Polkadraai. Lukas ferments it to dry in old oak with 5 days on its skins.