2019 Fram Chenin Blanc Citrusdal Mountain South Africa 750 ml

This is the type of hidden wine treasure that will blow your guests’ minds when you serve it: a world-class Chenin Blanc from South Africa that’s an equal to its French counterparts, with the added bonus of a great behind-the-scenes story.

You’d be hard-pressed to find another crisp white wine with so mcuh complexity at this price. 

Thinus Krüger is the innovative, one-man show behind Fram and its 2019 Chenin Blanc from Citrusdal Mountain. It’s an under-the-radar gem from an emerging region in the Western Cape, and it offers true South African flair: rich with “tropical fruit, earth, and dried herbal complexity,” showing “mouth-watering acid,” and maintaining the balance between earth and fruit we all love about Chenin Blanc. Krüger himself notes the wine’s depth of flavor, including “hints of honey, roasted nuts, [and] pale Sherry.” 

The secret is two-fold: the high-elevation location of the vineyard in the Olifants River region and Krüger’s unwavering goal of creating an uniquely South African wine. 

Krüger is the type of winemaker who is not confined by the past. After spending 12 years making wine for heritage names in the South African industry like Boschendal and Fleur du Cap, he decided to be master of his own domain as CEO, winemaker, and sole employee of Fram. It’s a big job, but his mission keeps him focused: to eschew the idea of making Cabs like Napa or Syrah like the Rhone—something he tells The Independent that he sees too often—and instead strives to produce terroir-driven wines that reflect the beauty of South Africa.

To do so, he sought out mountain vineyards on the fringes of well-known regions, places he dubs will have “dragons.” There, he could really make a stamp on the winemaking of his native country.

In the Citrusdal Mountain region of the Olifants River, he struck gold with a 35-year-old vineyard that produces immense concentration of Chenin Blanc without sacrificing the freshness or structure. It’s proximity to the ocean—it literally overlooks a fishing village of Lambert's Bay—gives the normally hot climate a cool sea breeze and the mountainous granite soils complete the ideal conditions for grape-growing. Krüger clearly saw the potential, and Fram is now one of the best known producers there. 

For his 2019 Chenin Blanc, Krüger harvested the grapes early from a trellis vineyard, not the country’s typical bush vines, then relied on natural fermentation in oak barrels for 9 months. He generally opts for a less invasive vinification process, including no fining or stabilization, and he bottles after a single fermentation. There’s subtle oak flavors that arrive after a burst of freshness on the palate, and while you can drink it alone, it’s a serious complement to a range of local and international foods. The wine has the body to stand up to richer dishes with sweet and sour components, but we’re particularly partial to pairing it with rich, spicy appetizers at a braai (South Africa’s signature open-fire BBQs).

This is a wine you can have around the house for everything from aperitif hour to meals covered in cream sauce. It’s still an unparalleled find with major value—a bottle of Chenin Blanc from famed Loire Valley producer Nicolas Joly will put you back more than double—so we suggest stocking up before the rest of the wine world finds out.