WINE, FOOD, AND EVERYTHING THAT'S GOOD!

When I saw that Hagen and his wife Nicola had taken the leap to start their own wine brand, I was instantly curious. I didn’t waste any time, setting up a tasting as soon as possible!

Hagen Viljoen is the winemaker at well-known Zevenwacht Wine Estate, and honestly, he deserves a lot of credit. The estate has been around for years, but in my opinion, the wines only really started to “find themselves” after he became cellar master in 2018. Since then, he’s brought a level of consistency that’s helped push Zevenwacht into the spotlight as one of Stellenbosch’s top producers. The results speak for themselves, as Zevenwacht was named Most Successful Producer at the 2023 Trophy Wine Show.

I would imagine that once a winemaker finds the “recipe” which best suits their overall production goal (perfectly balancing winemaking, fruit and terroir), they can’t deviate too far away from it. This would undoubtedly bring about a curiosity for experimentation, often leading to the creation of private wine labels/brands.  Not to say winemakers become bored, or start to feel stagnant – it’s more about allowing for creative freedom to keep their passion stimulated.  I believe this is what led to the birth of Ennui Wines.  

The range consists of two wines, Grenache Noir and Chenin Blanc. 

The Grenache Noir is sourced from Piekenierskloof.  The region is defined by its unique terroir, with the combination of high altitude, and specific soil composition, contributing to the distinctive flavour profile found in this wine.  This Grenache Noir displays intense brightness of red fruit character, wild strawberry, cranberry and red plum (70% whole cluster ferment), with a subtle hint of clove spice, and an earthiness both on the nose and palate.  The wine shows vibrant acidity (further adding to its fresh, fruit-forward drinkability), with gentle tannins, and an elegant finish.  Maturation happens over an 8 month period in 500L seasoned French oak barrels, allowing for the development of complexity while keeping the fruit center stage.  

While tasting the wine, Hagen chuckled, clearly knowing the wine was heavily impressing my tastebuds! Grenache is obviously a cultivar close to his heart, and a cultivar he understands inside out.

The Chenin Blanc was a show-stopper too.  Personally, I’m not the biggest fan of the cultivar, however, a good wine will always be good, whether you like it or not.  I was taken back by how the wine exhibited incredible concentration of fruit, quince, white peach, pear and lemon, with a touch of ginger, and very pleasant fennel undertone.  I found there to be a slight pithiness to the wine which must come from the fact that 50% of the grapes were crushed and destemmed, and left on the skins for 4 days before spontaneous fermentation began.  The wine sees a combination of oak and amphorae which adds to its very unique personality, texture, and depth. Sourced from an old vine block (1981) in the Polkadraai Hills (decomposed granite, quartz, plus the cooling breezes coming from False Bay), this Chenin spoils you with a beautiful saline freshness.  A racy acidity keeps this wine vibrant, and along with its concentrated fruit profile, the wine will benefit with further cellaring, developing notes of dried flowers, honey and nuts over time. For its maiden vintage, the Chenin showcases a rustic, “rockstar” edge, which I sincerely hope Hagen will be able to recapture for future releases. I don’t know how to properly word it, but the wine oozes in that “diamond in the rough” kind of appeal.

Ennui Wines is all about producing wines with clarity, precision and soul. Wines which are approachable and intellectual.  Wines which are wholesome and real. Wines which represent what’s important to both Hagen and Nicola: love, family, and life.

After spending time with Hagen, hearing the story, and tasting these wines, I am truly impressed and super excited about this young brand’s future! Definitely something to get behind, that’s for sure.

Mentioned above, these wines form part of the Ennui Wines maiden vintage.  Production was capped to only 800 bottles of Grenache Noir and 500 bottles of Chenin Blanc.  With this kind of exclusivity, and excellence in quality, I’d suggest getting your hands on these wines yesterday already.  

*As far as I know, Hagen only has 20 cases of Chenin left.  Actually, make that 19…

Buy the wine here.