Thorne & Daughters 'Rocking Horse' White Blend 2022

Thorne & Daughters' John Seccombe has a bit of a thing for blending varieties grown in different sites around the Western Cape from which he loves to create wines that are more than the sum of their parts. This, their signature white is a carefully judged mix of Roussanne, Semillon, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, and Clairette, naturally fermented in barrel and left on fine lees for ten months to build texture and complexity. It's not about upfront fruit - this is more refined. Expect ginger, apple skin, and delicate floral notes on the nose, leading to a rounded, subtly honeyed palate. The finish is long, crisp, and lightly saline, giving a freshness and vibrancy. Yet, overall it's ripe, restrained and layered - an elegant Cape white.

This pairs wonderfully with chicken fricassée or pork medallions in a creamy mustard sauce, as its minerality and layered fruit notes bring out the delicate flavours and rich textures of these dishes.

As they put it themselves, Thorne & Daughters aim to make wines with old-school simplicity and a modern edge. And they seem to be making a pretty good fist of it. John and Tasha Seccombe set up shop in 2012 with the goal of crafting wines that go beyond simple varietal expression - something more layered, textural, and distinctive. It's an approach that defines everything they produce, especially their superb flagship blends, Rocking Horse and Wanderer's Heart. Rather than owning vineyards, they work closely with growers across the Western Cape, selecting the best parcels of fruit to meet their exacting standards. It's a method that gives them both flexibility and consistency, and judging by the results, it's working a treat.