2015 Ken Forrester Chenin Blanc Dirty Little Secret "one"

Community Tasting Notes (5) Avg Score: 92.7 points

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  4/7/2021 - Paul852 Likes this wine: 92 Points

  Opened, but didn't decant, about 90 minutes before drinking over the subsequent two hours.
  
  The Dirty Little Secret has evolved quite a bit since my last note 18 months ago. The colour is a little more golden, and the nose is now quite rich almost sweet, and this follows to the palate which is much rounder than before and has lost much of its acidic bite. It's still very clean and quite complex in flavour, but with quite a different balance than previously. It's now basically off-dry.
  
  My feeling is that I perhaps overdid the air, and for my one remaining bottle I shall likely just pull and pour.
  
  But all in all, still an excellent and interesting wine, however I won't wait long to drink my last bottle.

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  5/25/2019 - Paul852 Likes this wine: 94 Points

  This is an extraordinarily good wine. Of all the wines I have tasted (OK, I haven't tasted any of the ones with silly price tags), if I could only ever drink one white wine for the rest of my life, this would be it.
  
  It has a smoothness and yet a complexity, approachability but length, fruit and acidity in absolutely perfect balance. It works as an aperitif, just for contemplation on its own, but it also has the weight to stand up to any seafood, and light meat dishes. It needs to be served no cooler than cellar temperature, and to have an hour or two of air.
  
  I've never been a fan of chenin blanc the way it's done in France; this is in a whole different league.
  
  There are only around 3000 bottles ever made. Get some if you can - you won't regret it.

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  9/25/2018 - chatters wrote:

  South African wine tour - Day four (Stellenbosch): "Ooh, it is dirty! Wild ferment, lees stirring, skin contact, waxy lemons, floor polish, meaty, toasted buttered honey with lovely floral top notes. Mouth watering but not sharp acidity. Honeyed, quite rich, with some mid palate bur. Lovely, really rather special. It's a little expensive at 1050 Rand but I'd argue that it's worth it.
  
  I was lucky enough to chat to Ken after my tasting and he confirmed my impressions about the wine making adding that he had also aged the wine in very old barrels. Apparently he made ten barrels but two failed due to stuck ferment and three turned into impressive vinegar - which might be the reason for the price."

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  12/11/2017 - Mascarello59 wrote: 92 Points

  Citrus honey nuts green apples
  Intense and with good acidity and very long finish

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  6/21/2017 - vespasian wrote:

  Quite floral and subtle. Some honeyed notes; clean and pure. Amazing vibrancy, great energy. Grapefruit/citrus and honey notes. A touch of sweetness on the finish.

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