“An impressive debut.” - Tim Atkin MW, 93 points

“Deliciously tangy and bright.” - Greg Sherwood MW, 94 points

Fans of Natte Valleij’s ‘Axle’ Chenin Blanc have already started forming a disorderly queue in anticipation of this exciting new release, a brand new white wine, called ‘An Ode to The Cape’, which Alex Milner describes as “An ‘old school’ Cape white blend of Clairette Blanche and Chenin Blanc with a ‘new wave’ twist.”

Clairette is a grape variety found principally in the Languedoc, where it provides much-needed acidity in many a white blend. Here it teams up with Chenin Blanc, bringing life and vitality to South Africa’s ‘final boss’ grape variety. If you are familiar with the best white blends from The Cape (I’m thinking Adi Badenhorst, David and Nadia, Blankbottle) you will need no period of adjustment to welcome this one onto the fold. 12.5% alc. Drink now-2030.

Press review:

Greg Sherwood MW: “This new white blend from Alex Milner doubles the Natte Valleij white range from one to two wines. An impressively characterful creation, the aromatics on this Clairette Blanche - Chenin Blanc blend boast notes of leafy honeysuckle, white blossoms, dry hay, dusty summer bushveld over hints of granite, sea breeze salinity, white pear and yellow apple fruits. The delicate sapidity is more pronounced on the palate that’s glycerol and fleshy, deliciously tangy and bright with sour yellow plums, peach and nectarine fruits, displayed with impressive concentration married to a spicy sweet herbal component and a pithy white citrus nuance on the vibrant saline finish. This has all the attention to detail you’d expect from Alex and Natte Valleij. Drink now and over the next 5 to 8 years.” 94 points

Tim Atkin MW: “A new white from Alex Milner, ‘n Kaapse Ode is a “tribute to the Cape” made from Clairette Blanche from the Voor Paardeberg and 34% Chenin Blanc from Darling, both located on decomposed granite soils. Racy, tangy and mouth-wateringly fresh, this has aromas of white pepper and gin botanicals, palate of citrus and greengage and a lingering finish. An impressive debut. Drink now-2030.” 93 points

JancisRobinson.com: “A wine that smells like bushveld in summer, crackling with the scent of bleached gold grass, white dust shimmering in the air. Tastes of dried acacia flowers, of green tea, of chamomile, of aloe sap and prickly pears. The texture of fig leaf. This is so much more a story of dry, wild herbs and wild spices and minerality than it is about fruit. It will go beautifully with artichokes and asparagus, when they’re in season. When they’re not, this is the glass of wine to have with soft curds of scrambled egg on a slice of crisp rye bread, dusted with zatar and drizzled with olive oil. (TC). Drink now-2029.” 16.5 points