A textural, wind-cooled South African Chenin Blanc layered with ripe stone fruit, flinty coastal minerality, and savoury barrel-fermented depth.

Tasting Notes & Food Pairings

Pours a bright, pale straw in the glass with subtle golden-green glints. On the nose, it opens up with generous aromas of ripe yellow peach, dried apricot, and crunchy pear, followed by nuances of lemon zest, blanched almonds, and a faint dusting of oatmeal and white pepper from seasoned French oak.

Take a sip and you will find a wine with serious presence that never feels heavy. It delivers a rich, slightly creamy mouthful of poached quince, bruised orchard fruit, and pink grapefruit, pinned down by a firm, mouthwatering seam of saline acidity. The barrel work adds a gentle savoury grip rather than sweet vanilla, finishing bone-dry, tangy, and persistently fresh with lingering notes of crushed stone and toasted brioche.

Food Pairings:

This has more than enough weight and tension to stand up to proper, hearty dishes. It is cracking alongside pan-roasted cod or halibut served with brown butter and capers, roast pork belly with crisp crackling, or roast chicken basted in lemon and thyme. If you are having a cheese night, it cuts through rich, nutty wedges like a mature Scottish cheddar, Comté, or creamy goat's cheese effortlessly.

About the Producer

Old Road Wine Co. is based in Franschhoek, right in the historic heartland of South Africa's winelands. Founded by a passionate collective of wine veterans led by Tim Hutchinson the outfit takes its inspiration from the characters, stories, and tradespeople who walked the town's original main road and built its rich wine heritage.

Rather than chasing fleeting cellar trends or charging overinflated prices, Old Road Wine Co. focuses on honest craft, ethical farming, and championing prized pockets of older vines across the Western Cape. Their winemaking team, headed by Ryan Puttick, produces unpretentious, terroir-driven bottles made to be enjoyed around a bustling dinner table rather than left collecting dust on an ornamental shelf.

Part of their top-tier 'Elite Range', Anemos takes its name from the ancient Greek word for 'wind'—a direct nod to the fierce coastal breezes that batter the vines every afternoon. Old Road Wine Co. focuses on unpretentious craftsmanship and letting unique Cape vineyard sites speak for themselves, offering exceptional depth and complexity without the collector-grade price tag.

Vineyard & Winery

Viticulture & Terroir:

The fruit is sourced entirely from two mature, low-yielding coastal vineyard blocks in Stellenbosch (planted in 1988) and Durbanville (planted in 1983). Both parcels sit on elevated, ocean-facing hillsides rooted in weathered granite and gravel soils. These old bush vines are dry-farmed without artificial irrigation, forcing the root systems deep underground for moisture and nutrients.

Throughout the growing season, the vineyards are swept by the prevailing south-easterly wind—locally dubbed the 'Cape Doctor'. This relentless maritime breeze acts as nature’s air conditioning, cooling the canopy, slowing down ripening, and preventing rot, ensuring the small berries retain concentrated flavour alongside vibrant natural acidity.

Winemaking & Maturation:

Grapes were harvested by hand in the early morning chill to protect aromatics. Following gentle pressing, fermentation took place in French oak barrels (a combination of standard barriques and large 500-litre foudres), using around 20% new wood with the remaining 80% in older, neutral oak to keep the wood subtle and integrated.

The wine was matured on its gross lees for 8 to 12 months, with monthly bâtonnage (lees stirring) during the early stages to build texture and a creamy mid-palate. Bottled with minimal intervention using vegan-friendly fining practices.