Freddy R. Troya

9.3

Ken Forrester — The FMC Chenin Blanc 2024
Stellenbosch, South Africa 🇿🇦

Overview
A benchmark, world-class expression of South African Chenin Blanc, showcasing depth, precision, and layered complexity. The FMC represents Ken Forrester’s top selection, crafted for texture, longevity, and serious terroir expression rather than easy immediacy.

Aromas & Flavors
Lovely ripe baked pear leads the aromatics, followed by subtle citrus peel, gentle tropical tones, and floral hints of acacia. The palate leans more stony and yellow-fruited than juicy, with honeydew, orchard fruit, and a refined mineral thread carrying through the mid-palate.

Mouthfeel
Elegant, structured, and finely layered. Not plush or overtly rich, instead focused, composed, and quietly powerful with excellent tension and balance.

Food Pairings
Roast poultry with herbs, grilled seafood with citrus butter, seared scallops, creamy risotto, aged Alpine cheeses, or Moroccan-spiced dishes.

Verdict
A sophisticated, cerebral Chenin Blanc that rewards attention. Precision meets quiet power, delivering complexity without heaviness and showing clear aging potential.

Did You Know?
FMC stands for Forrester’s Mission Chenin, named after the original Mission Station vineyard block that inspired this flagship cuvée, now regarded as one of South Africa’s most collectible and age-worthy Chenin Blancs.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is the kind of Chenin that reminds you why the Cape has earned global respect, layered, disciplined, mineral-driven, and deeply expressive. Serious wine, serious pleasure. — a day ago

Bob McDonald

9.5

Quite a light to mid lemon in colour for its 11 years of age. Nutty (almond and cashew) aromas. Oak has integrated. The palate shows those same nutty notes together with that trademark pear character with white nectarine. Overall still youthful. My remaining 3 bottles will easily see out this decade. — 19 days ago

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.2

Delish and interesting. — 13 days ago

Donald Williams

9.3

We really enjoyed this. — 9 days ago

with Bonnie

Mark S.

9.0

Deep cherry red with violet. Black pepper. Blueberry blackberry leather nutmeg clove
Fruitiness M+ Sweetness M Acidity M Tannin M+ Soft Bitterness M Body M+ Finish M 14% Elegant but Concentrated Robust Mullineux Family Wines Swartland Syrah 23 @6160, AD, 251225 — a month ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.2

Vintage 2018 | paired with turkey cream sauce — 2 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.0

Vintage 2017 | magnum | well developed rounded Cabernet Sauvignon — 23 days ago

Jalyn Warren

8.9

Very nice! — 12 days ago

Charlie Elliott

9.1

No harm in that — 8 days ago

Taavi Davies

8.9

Rich and complex, balanced — a month ago