A beautiful example of Chenin Blanc from rising star winemaker Banele Vakele. Gorgeous and textured on the palate with notes of orange and beeswax. Mineral and classy. This is SA Chenin at its best. Banele is getting noticed and we couldn’t be happier for him – both Neal Martin of Vinous.com and Tim Atkin MW have praised his wines, and Banele was commissioned by the Tate Modern in London, to make a wine for the launch of a year of modern African art.

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Banele (pronounce Ba-nel-ee) grew up in Cape Town’s largest township, Khayelitsha. He still lives there, looking after four younger siblings, after his mum died. He earned a scholarship to a Constantia high school and his classroom looked out over a vineyard, he sat there daydreaming about what life in wine would be like. He got a degree at Elsenberg Agricultural College and enrolled on the Cape Winemakers Guild Protg programme, where he did stints in Burgundy, Oregon and Yarra Valley. The final stage was with Savage wines. Duncan and Banele got on so well that Banele has now been assistant winemaker there for five years. But Duncan suggested to Banele that he shouldn’t stay too long and prepare to make wines under his own label. Banele has named his wine after his late mother, Tembela, which means faith, hope and belief. The label pays tribute to women wearing traditional Xhosa attire carrying wine barrels.