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Auction Product : garagecorp-123883073

C.H. Unearthed Old Vine Rare Aged Release Chenin Blanc 2020 (12x 750mL) SA

Description:

Arguably one of the greatest discoveries to ever wear the “Chris Hill Unearthed” label, this Chenin Blanc is a total eye opener. My experience with bottle aged Chenin was nonexistent, I had to consult Jancis Robinson’s “Oxford Companion to Wine” to realise what a gem it is. She describes Chenin Blanc as “a super star” when grown in the right conditions. This Chenin Blanc vineyard was planted in 1964 in the dress circle district of Blewitt Springs in the north east corner of McLaren Vale. These old vines on deep sandy soils produce magical wines with physically thrilling concentration of flavour. (See background story for more details)

Back Story

In the middle of vintage 2020, COVID 19 hit Australia. The impact was instant and severe. Vintage was completed under difficult conditions and the 1964 planted Blewitt Springs vineyard Chenin Blanc 2020 was bottled on 6 November 2020. It had been a tough year and the vineyard owner had decided to sell. The new owners instantly recognized the undeniable quality and unique provenance of the vineyard and have continued to make single vineyard Chenin Blanc from the same bock ever since. Under the new owner’s brand, their Chenin Blanc is $49.50 at cellar door and consistently sells out. After the difficulties of Covid, the imposition of China’s tariffs and the current cost of living crisis, the last remaining batch of 2020 Chenin Blanc was lost in the cellar until being rediscovered in April 2025. When I first sampled this wine, I had no idea what to expect from a bottle aged Chenin Blanc. Unlike Chardonnay, it doesn’t have oak or Malo-lactic fermentation. It doesn’t have the aromatics of Riesling or the steely acidity and low alcohol of Semillon. My only experience with Chenin Blanc was the popular, early release wine from Coriole, also a McLaren Vale vineyard. From the first taste, I was blown away with the concentrated honey flavour and intensity. It was unlike anything I’ve experienced in over forty years winemaking. It’s attractive in the glass, has an imposing bouquet and multi-layered pallet. It’s a stunning wine with an interesting story and an unrepeatable offer.

Make the most of this one-of-a-kind opportunity.

C.H. Unearthed Old Vine Rare Aged Releas

  1. C.H. Unearthed Old Vine Rare Aged Release Chenin Blanc 2020 (12x 750mL) SA

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Wine Summary Image

Arguably one of the greatest discoveries to ever wear the “Chris Hill Unearthed” label, this Chenin Blanc is a total eye opener. My experience with bottle aged Chenin was nonexistent, I had to consult Jancis Robinson’s “Oxford Companion to Wine” to realise what a gem it is. She describes Chenin Blanc as “a super star” when grown in the right conditions. This Chenin Blanc vineyard was planted in 1964 in the dress circle district of Blewitt Springs in the north east corner of McLaren Vale. These old vines on deep sandy soils produce magical wines with physically thrilling concentration of flavour. (See background story for more details)

Back Story

In the middle of vintage 2020, COVID 19 hit Australia. The impact was instant and severe. Vintage was completed under difficult conditions and the 1964 planted Blewitt Springs vineyard Chenin Blanc 2020 was bottled on 6 November 2020. It had been a tough year and the vineyard owner had decided to sell. The new owners instantly recognized the undeniable quality and unique provenance of the vineyard and have continued to make single vineyard Chenin Blanc from the same bock ever since. Under the new owner’s brand, their Chenin Blanc is $49.50 at cellar door and consistently sells out. After the difficulties of Covid, the imposition of China’s tariffs and the current cost of living crisis, the last remaining batch of 2020 Chenin Blanc was lost in the cellar until being rediscovered in April 2025. When I first sampled this wine, I had no idea what to expect from a bottle aged Chenin Blanc. Unlike Chardonnay, it doesn’t have oak or Malo-lactic fermentation. It doesn’t have the aromatics of Riesling or the steely acidity and low alcohol of Semillon. My only experience with Chenin Blanc was the popular, early release wine from Coriole, also a McLaren Vale vineyard. From the first taste, I was blown away with the concentrated honey flavour and intensity. It was unlike anything I’ve experienced in over forty years winemaking. It’s attractive in the glass, has an imposing bouquet and multi-layered pallet. It’s a stunning wine with an interesting story and an unrepeatable offer.

Make the most of this one-of-a-kind opportunity.

Region:
SA - McLaren Vale
State:
South Australia
Country:
Australia

Winery Tasting Notes

Notes Image

Colour

Bottled on 6 November 2020 this wine has had 56 months in bottle and still has a youthful lemon-yellow appearance with bright flashes of polished gold.

Aroma

The initial bouquet has intense, concentrated melon fruit, honey and orange blossom. As it warms up a little in glass tropical aromas of pineapple and lychee appear. The bouquet lingers and evolves and makes the anticipation of the first taste quite exciting.

Palate

The opening palate is a refreshing burst of sweet tropical flavours like pineapple, mango and passionfruit. As it warms up on the tongue more floral and savoury flavours of lychee, honey suckle, musk and grapefruit emerge. The texture is smooth and silky with well balanced acidity giving great depth and structure without overpowering the primary fruit characters. With time, further layers of complexity unfold with flavours of lemon butter, honey, lanolin, short bread, toffee and caramel. The palate goes on and on, and whilst the overall flavours appear sweet the underlying acidity keeps the palate fresh and lively finishing with a sense of lemon sorbet; clean and dry. The overall experience is a genuine surprise.

Food Matching

At the decadent end of the scale this is a wine for a rich lobster thermidor or toasted blinis with a generous layer of creamy foie gras. For me it goes with ever

Winery Profile

My first winemaking experience was harvesting grapes in the Barossa Valley during vintage 1981. Long hot days were spent hand picking bunches of sweet, sticky Riesling, Shiraz, Cabernet, Grenache and a host of other nearly forgotten varieties. At the end of each day after the last bins were tipped into the crusher, we’d meet at the weighbridge with Peter Lehmann for a bottomless glass of robust Shiraz and an inspired conversation about the new wines and vintage developments.

After three decades my day still ends with a nice glass or two of Shiraz or maybe Chardonnay but a lot has changed over that time. From a humble cellar hand plunging skins in open concrete fermenters during the 1980’s, to debating the appropriate cooperage for Hunter Shiraz with Len Evans in the 1990’s to the corporate boardrooms of giant multinationals in the 2000’s, I’m now back to making wine as an independent negociant.

Based in the heart of McLaren Vale, I’m surrounded by wonderful old vineyards and dozens of modern wineries run by talented winemakers. The joy of being a negociant winemaker is the flexibility to be able to source grapes and make wine anywhere throughout Australia. The benefit is an unlimited resource of varieties, regions, styles and skills to craft individual batches of unique wines without constraints.

My goal is to create genuine, honest wines that showcase flavour, vitality and life. Good wine should be accessible to all and be enjoyed as part of a healthy, active lifestyle with fine food, close friends and plenty of fun. I have many favourites but I believe variety is the spice of life and I enjoy discovering new flavours and stretching the boundaries of traditional winemaking.

From an old favourite to something exotic, tantalizing and new, I hope you enjoy the journey through my selection of classic Australian wines.

View Chris Hill website

Other Information

  • 2020 vintage
  • 12 x 750mL units
  • SA - McLaren Vale, South Australia
  • Screwcap closure
  • 12.5% alc.

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