South Africa: New releases

One of the most underrated wines on our list, this is a blend of 10 varieties that ages spectacularly. Pithy, textured, with brilliant volume, it’s a white that you really have to discover.

Shiraz 58%, Cinsault 14%, Tinta Barocca 14%, Mourvèdre 9%, Grenache Noir 5%. The 16th release of this benchmark red, that’s smoky, intense, and finely structured. A real stunner, from a great vintage, you’ll want to let this age.

Tinta Barocca is one of the great grapes of the Swartland, and this comes from a single vineyard planted in 1966. Floral and intense, and almost bloody in character, this is remarkably well balanced, and very long indeed.

From the vineyard next to the cellar - Kelder in Afrikaans - this is as bright and energetic a Chenin Blanc as you’ll find. Volumes are miniscule, and the vines were planted in 1972. Floral and intense.

Planted in 1954, this old block of Cinsault gives an intense and refined expression of the grape. There’s real energy here, and there’s also notes of fynbos, negroni, and very fine but almost Nebbiolo-like tannins.

From a vineyard planted in 1968 at the entrance to Adi’s property, this has lots of yellow fruit and an almost tropical note, but remains taut and mineral on the finish.

From a vineyard planted in the 1940s, which also provides Eben’s Skerpioen, this is a saline, pithy, long, delicious white that’s one of Adi’s hidden gems.

Fewer than 1500 bottles are made of this, from a vineyard planted in 1966. This is intense and vibrant, and there’s so much concentration and depth of flavour. A brilliant Chenin Blanc.

Miniscule production here - just 800 kg of grapes or so come from this wall-surrounded vineyard, planted in 1963. It’s savoury and spicy, with notes of ginger and rooibos. This is intense and stunningly pure.

The style that Andre has made his own, this is an ageworthy white, with lots of bright yellow fruit, a savoury character to the palate, and also lots of energy. This is surely a match for Andre's old baby, the GVB from Vergelegen.

From grapes from the Vergelegen estate, this is an impressive Bordeaux blend. Notes of graphite and a core of dark fruit, with lots of spice and a hint of smokiness. Already approachable and delicious, this will surely age well, too.

A Malbec that comes from Keermont’s vineyards, and named in honour of Alex Starey, this is such a joyful wine. Juicy and intense, with lots of blue and black fruit, and also simply brilliant freshness. A delight.

A Cabernet Sauvignon from the high-altitude, cool Ceres plateau, this has so much going for hit. There’s just a hint of greenness, but that gives this lift and life. It’s a cool-climate Cabernet that offers incredible value for money.

Verdelho from the Helderberg, this takes its name from the Vulture, as in its early years Pieter had to hang around and wait for others to take their fill before he could access the vineyard. Now his grapes are more secure, and this is always a favourite: a wine all about texture, length, and definition.

The first release of this Chardonnay, from just four rows of a Chardonnay vineyard on the Helderberg. This is grippy and fine boned, with lots of ginger spice, and also a lot of freshness on the finish.

100% merlot from Stellenbosch, this blew us away when we tried it in February. From a vineyard on the Simonsberg, this has notes of blueberries, and then also lots of violet character, and a charming, saline, mineral finish. Brilliant.Just 902 bottles made.

From the vineyard we’ve come to know and love for Retirement at 65, this is a pure Cinsault. It’s delicate in colour, but there’s so much intensity and vitality here. Notes of rose petal, and also a core of spice. Charming.

Grenache blanc, Verdelho, Grenache Gris and other bits and pieces, all sourced from the Voor-Paardeberg, this is a delicious mediterranean-inspired blend, that has so much savoury, herbal character, with pith, and long finish. We’re fascinated to see how this ages.

Is this the best Syrah that Boekenhoutskloof have made? Surely a worthy successor to the legendary 1997: this gets better and better under Gottfried's management. Now 90% from Porseleinberg's blue schist soils, and 10% from Goldmine's brown schist, this has astonishing aromatics, with wild flowers and pure fruit, and the palate is so refined and elegant. There's minerality on the finish, which lasts for minutes. This is undoubtedly a match for the world's greatest Syrahs.

The new vintage of Chocolate Block shows how this gets better and better. A core of Syrah, from Boekenhoutskloof's properties in the Swartland, this is intense, structured, but also approachable. Such a no-brainer at this price. Also watch how it ages.

This comes from vineyards on the Helderberg, and shows more generosity than the Franschhoek Cabernet Sauvignon, with silky tannins and slightly riper fruit. There's wonderful persisitance here, and also a hint of opulence just now. Very hard to spit.

Made with more Cabernet Franc than usual - there is no Journeyman, their top blend, in 2020, so this saw the best of the grapes. Gottfried has pulled back on the new oak here, and it’s restrained, and even a little austere. But there’s so much complexity and a driven, mineral finish that lasts an age.

Mainly Grenache, with around a third Syrah, this is made in a fresh, lifted style, for easy drinking. It's inexpensive and easy to approach, with red berries, cherries, pepper and rose. It gives a lot of bang for your buck.

From the maker of Boschkloof Epilogue, this is a stunning Syrah from the Polkadraai's granite soils. Focussed and fine, with hints of blood orange alongside the core of dark berry fruit, there's so much complexity here. Already delicious, you'd be wise to lock away a few bottles for the coming years.

From the Polkadraai, this yellow-fruited Chenin is from Reenen's experimental line, and sees some fermentation on skins. It's complex and textured, and utterly delicious. At this price, a bargain.

A blend of parcels of younger vines, from the Swartland's Malmesbury Hills and the Paardeberg, as well as sites throughout Stellenbosch. 2022's selection also meant that some serious old vine fruit made it into the blend, making it even better than usual. Complex yet approachable, this is the best example yet.

This is a restrained and saline Chardonnay from Mick and Jeanine Craven, from the Helderberg, that balances white pear and citrus pith with hints of anis and sea spray. Refined, and brilliant value: a wine for any night of the week.

Pinot Gris is rare in Stellenbosch, and this rust-coloured example is simply brilliant. There's lots of phenolics here, from time on the skins, with notes of peach and also a smokiness. A brilliant food wine, or a wine for summer.

This comes from a vineyard that's from incredibly close to the sea: the old Bredell farm, that's the source of many of the Scions of Sinai wines, among others. This is just so joyful and fresh, with a real sense of purity and energy on the palate. Beautifully balanced, and very long indeed.

From a single vineyard owned by Crystallum, this is so lean and focussed, and is all about mineral complexity and apple blossom notes. There's a little smokiness, and a hint of reduction. This is a Chardonnay built for the long haul.

This is the final vintage of this wine, and it's an intense, concentrated, complex iteration. Notes of black cherry and forest floor, with cinnamon spice and plenty of structure make a wine that will need some time to show its very best.

A 700m altitude vineyard, on Kaaimansgat farm, this is surrounded by mountains that are often snow-capped in winter. The wine is complex and intense, and there's also a lot of freshness on the finiss. It's much more red fruited, and even citrus, than its stablemates, but that gives it a lot of charm.

Named after their great grandmother, who arrived in South Africa at 14 years of age, this is a blend of Chardonnay vineyards from across the Overberg. It's a pithy example, with just a hint of reduction, and some ginger spice and sea spray. There's lovely citrus energy on the finish.

A blend of grapes from across the Overberg make this charming, juicy, village-level Pinot Noir. So crunchy and fresh, with lovely tannins, and a lot of floral lift on the finish. This is so easy to drink: but don't underestimate its ability to age.

A film about Napoleon was filmed on this site the year before vines were planted, on this site on the Hemel-en-Aarde ridge. It's high density vines produce a wine of intensity and power. Slightly dark in character, this has bramble and pomegranate, and also plenty of spice. Long, fine-boned, and complex, this will age wonderfully.

From a vineyard on the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, at high altitude, on shale soils, in the shadow of a mountain. The resulting wine is restrained and delicate, with notes of greengage and green pineapple, balanced with thyme and oatmeal, and a finish that is intensely mineral. The power builds here, making a wine that's incredibly complex and intense.

54% Grenache, with less Syrah than usual, this red blend has lots of focus, very fine tannins, and a long, fynbos-infused finish. Very nicely judged, charming, and already approachable.

From five vineyards in the Swartland, this has lots of Thyme and Pomegranate notes, with wild strawberries and lots of focus, too. There’s tension and salinity, and a long and pure finish. Beautifully done.

A blend of nine varieties, this gives a lovely impression of the vintage. There are notes of pineapple and peach, as well as plenty of spice and herbal notes. Beautifully complex, but also refreshing and approachable, this is a lovely white wine.

From eight vineyards, including the four single vineyards, from across the Swartland. A lovely wash of fruit here, with notes of fresh honey and hay. There’s a power and purity to the palate, and there’s also real grip and salinity. This will age brilliantly. A bargain.

From a 1981 planted vineyard on Paardebosch, the farm where David’s cellar is based. This is taut, with lots of lemon peel and hints of tea and bright fruit on the finish. Very good.

Planted in 1985, this is very intense and savoury and saline. There’s such tension here, with real purity and lots of minerality on the finish. From the vineyard next to Plat’Bos, but so different in style: this has more rippling energy.

From red clay soils on Malmesbury, this has notes of apricot and lots of lime. There’s a reductiveness here: this is almost Chardonnay like in its character. There’s lots of minerality on the finish, and it lasts an age.

Planted in 1984 in a vineyard with double rows. David started here in 2017, but 2021 was the first release. This is out towards the ocean, and produces intense, powerful wines. Lots of phenolics, energy, and hints of blood orange.

This is a brand new wine from the Helderberg in Stellenbosch, generally thought of as the finest spot in South Africa for growing Bordeaux varietals. This is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot, and shows lots of cassis fruit, savoury spice, and there's wonderfully refined tannins. This is a brilliantly exciting new wine: you should join this journey from the very beginning.

A tiny production Syrah, made with 100% whole bunch, this is peppery and red fruited, with lots of energy and also a real sense of purity. There are notes of graphite and plenty of floral top notes. A bargain, and delicious to drink.

As the name suggests, this is Sauvignon Blanc that's made in Amphorae, bringing texture and definition to a perfectly ripe wine. Notes of pineapple and lemon pith are supported by ginger spice and plenty of herbal complexity. Will be even better with a couple of years in bottle.

From four different farms in the Swartland, including Adi Badenhorst's Jakkalsfontein, Chris Alheit's Nuwedam, and the Langkloof farm that's source of some brilliant old vine Chenin, this is focussed and fine, with lots of hay, jasmin notes, and some aniseed. Not from Bot River, but a brilliant wine nonetheless: we can see why Peter-Allan gets so excited about this.

Arguably our favourite wine from the Gabrielskloof range, this comes from a 19 year old vineyard on the property. It treads the line of ripeness and freshness beautifully, with notes of bell pepper and thyme, alongside lifted red fruits, and a beautifully balanced finish.

From Sandstone soils, as the name suggests, this is a Syrah that's all about perfume and energy, with lots of elegant fruit and long a finessed finish. Charming, approachable, but with the possibility of ageing brilliantly, too.

From the Laing's farm on the Skurfberg, this is a remarkable old vine Chenin Blanc vineyard. There's notes of orange blossom and rind, and an almost negroni-like perfume. So complex, piercing, and delicious, it's no wonder that the wines from the Skurfberg are so sought-after.

Just an incredibly delicious Merlot from Ginny's Stellenbosch estate, this is plummy, juicy, and fine-boned, with a lovely thread of acidity. One to pop and pour.

From Albarino vines that were grafted onto unsuccessful Cabernet Sauvignon, this was a great decision from Ginny Povall. This is pithy and fresh, with lots of savoury density, and a delicious finish. Just so easy and drinkable

Aromatic, smoky, and very intense, the 2022 Pinot Noir from Hamilton Russell is a real beauty. Notes of pink peppercorn and fynbos support the intense core of cherry fruit, while the tannins are present but refined. There's no hint of rusticity here; just a brilliant Pinot Noir.

From the original Hemel-en-Aarde estate, winemaker Emul Ross is making better and better wines. This is a chiselled Chardonnay, with plenty of ginger spice, while there's also a beautiful core of citrus fruit. A hint of oak spice on the finish adds complexity.

From Kaaimansgat, from the same vineyard as Peter-Allan Finlayson's Malabel, this is a cool climate Pinot Noir that dazzles with its freshness and purity. Jessica has to battle the baboons here for the grapes, but it's well worth it: this is floral, delicate, and very long. Not the most powerful, the finish lasts an age.

From the Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge, this is a wine that shows impressive freshness and intensity. A core of dark berry fruit, with lots of spice on the nose and the palate, and fine-grained tannins that linger, it's a very classy Pinot Noir. It's a shame there's so littler.

Jessica is a big fan of Riesling, and this comes from Elgin, and is an off-dry example that's juicy, fresh, and delicious. Notes of jasmine and orange blossom, and a core of peach fruit, with a deliciously clean finish. A lovely Riesling.

While Paul Sauer gets the plaudits, this is a brilliant value red from Kanonkop. In 2018 it's intense and refined, with notes of cassis and dark cherry, and also lots of grippy tannins and store cupboard spice. A benchmark Cabernet from the Cape.

Arguably the Cape's greatest Pinotage, Abrie Besselaar has crafted something impressive in 2020. A core of morello cherries and some darker fruit gives way to a palate with some savoury notes, alongside fynbos and a hint of smokiness. Where this wine really excels is with some age: it becomes more and more Pinot like. Squirrel away a case or two while you can.

One of South Africa's most legendary wines. This has so much intensity and power, but remains refined and wonderfully balanced. Notes of mulberry and ripe plum, and also graphite and leather. This is so long, stony, and refined. It will make old bones.

A blend of 46% Chenin Blanc 20% Chardonnay, 14% Sauvignon Blanc, and coming in at an easy 13.5% alcohol, this is a wine all about pithiness and bright freshness. There’s an easygoing nature to this, but don’t underestimate its ability to age: a 2009 alongside was very impressive.

This has more intensity and up front fruit than the 2017 at the same stage. There’s really crunchy berries here, notes of pepper spice, and then also a lot of fynbos and spicy complexity. Such a brilliant Syrah for the price.

The more elegant of the two single vineyards, the 2018 Steepside has notes of blood orange and also lots of red berries and a real sense of energy on the palate. The nose is almost ethereal in its character: this is a beautiful wine.

From bunches which have their stems bent, to encourage shriveling, this is a brilliant sweet wine from Alex Starey. Notes of jasmine and manuka honey, and also a core of focussed citrus, here. So complex, and so delicious.

Riper and more intense than the Steepside, this is more grounded. Notes of fynbos and tapenade swirl from the glass, while there’s also a core of dark cherries, store-cupboard spice, and so much grip to the tannins. This will be a remarkable wine: secure it today.

Named in honour of American heiress Clara Eliza Hussey, a former owner of the Klein Constantia estate, the Clara is an unparalleled South African Sauvignon where only the best grapes of the vineyard make the cut. Sauvignon Blanc shines in the granite soils of the Constantia hillside, and only free run juice is used. The result is a light, bright and aromatic wine. Truly delicious.

An iconic, historic wine from South Africa, the 2020 Vin de Constance is beautiful, with an unctuous, nectar-like texture, ripe apricot, and honey flavours.

A wine that has got better and better over recent years, the Estate Sauvignon Blanc has benefitted from all the research Matt Day has done with the single vineyard wines here. This is intensely perfumed, with lots of pith and savoury finish. Brilliant today, this will also age nicely over the next few years.

Kaaimansgat is a high altitude valley, up towards Villiersdorp, and is also the source of some brilliant Pinot Noir - Crystallum's Malabel, and Saurwein's Nom. This is a wonderful Blanc de Blancs fizz, made from Chardonnay, that's chiselled and refined, with plenty of savoury complexity on the palate.

A South African benchmark. The first vintage after the fire, 2021 is a spectacular year. This has remarkable intensity on the palate, with notes of white pepper, wild strawberries, but also a hint of black olive. So complex, long, and poised, in ten years this will be remarkable.

From a range of vineyards across the Cape South Coast region, this is an intense and wonderfully poised cool climate Syrah. Notes of pepper and graphite, and lots of lifted red berry fruit. There's a focus and length here. Delicious.

A newer wine for Lismore, this comes from Walker Bay, and has plenty of points of difference from the Chenin Blancs from Stellenbosch and the Swartland. Notes of orange blossom and jasmine, alongside a core of apple fruit, and lots of texture.

South Africa's best Viognier? This has notes of peach and apricot, but is in no way overblown. There's a floral character, and also so much intensity and balance here. It's the salinity that strikes you on the finish, which lasts an age. Just brilliant.

Long a favourite Chardonnay, this is intense and structured. The fruit fills the mouth with stone fruits, white peach, and pear, while there's lots of spice and a long, savoury, mouth-watering finish. Just brilliant.

30% Greyton fruit, with the rest donated after the fire, this is complex and savoury, with plenty of grapefruit, and then spice from the oak. Really lovely, but needs a little time in bottle.

A blend of Shiraz, Cinsault, and Grenache, this is a wine that gets better and better with every year that goes past. So much pretty fruit, with tension and lots of savoury notes. There’s a purity to the finish, and lots of mineral savouriness that shines through. Gorgeous.

A blend of 52% Chenin Blanc from a 61 year old vineyard in Piekenierskloof planted on its own rootstocks, alongside 27% Verdelho and 13% Colombard. This is very saline and fresh, and there’s lots of pithy fruit, too. Delicious.

From a single vineyard planted in 1977 on the decomposed sandstone of the Piekenierskloof, this is a brilliant Chenin Blanc. There's a luminosity here, and also a real freshness. But don't let the subtlety fool you: this is a serious wine, with a lot of potential in it.

Named in honour of Franco's daughter, Lua, this is a delicate, perfumed, almost Pinot-like Grenache from the Piekenierskloof. Tiny quantities are made, and its rightly soughtafter. Notes of pomegranate and wild strawberries, and also lots of spice on the finish. Just so pretty, long, and refined.

61% of this comes from the Paaderberg, with the rest from the Polkadraai. And that gives this wine a brilliant balance of Stellenbosch yellow fruit, and Swartland savouriness. It’s full of energy: a benchmark Chenin Blanc from the Cape.

A wine that Lukas dreamt up when he spent 8 days in hospital with Covid. From the Swartland, this has 9% Grenache, 3% Cinsault, with the balance made up of Syrah planted on Schist. Generous and velvety, but still with finesse, it’s utterly delicious.

In 2022, Lukas sees this as his blue-eyed boy. 45% is aged in concrete to maintain purity, and this is a wine all about subtlety and balance, with wonderfully refined tannins and a core of pure fruit on the palate. Wonderful stuff.

A blend of 70% fruit from Lammershoek on the Paardeberg, planted in 1966, with a 1980-planted vineyard also on the Paadeberg. This is savoury and saline, and there’s lots of fynbos and confit lemon character. Long, savoury, and so vibrant.

From the Rustenhof farm, with the closest Cinsault vines to the ocean, this is stunning. Bright and juicy, 40% stems brings a lift and a herbal complexity. There’s purity and aromatic complexity, yet it remains so lively and fun. Delicious.

Lukas calls this his easiest wine to make: it’s 100% whole bunch fruit, aged in concrete tanks. Salt and pepper on the palate, with amazingly fresh fruit, and tannins that coat the mouth and last an age. Just such a brilliant Syrah.

From a vineyard planted in 1932, the second oldest red vineyard in the cape, with just three barrels made. This is almost Nebbiolo like in its complexity, with notes of rose petal and even a hint of tar. This is an epic wine, that will age brilliantly.

This is a blend of 17% Grenache from the Polkadraai, with the balance coming from one of the closest Cinsault vineyards to the ocean, in Stellenbosch. The resulting wine is savoury, saline, and totally delicious. This is South Africa’s best rosé, and the 2022 is a real winner.

From a vineyard farmed by sand in Niemandsrivier, in Elgin, this is cool-climate Syrah that shows lots of pepper and slightly darker fruit than the Stars in the Dark. Planted in 2006, this is another standout wine from one of the cape’s biggest talents.

Includes Agulhas fruit for the first time, so this is 84% Elgin (Niemandsrivier) 9% Agulhas, 7% Stellenbosch. It’s bright and lively, with notes of blood orange and a core of crunchy cherry fruit. Very fine tannins are present but not overbearing, and the wine is long, focussed, and very fine indeed.

This is a blend of: 34% Stellenbosch Chardonnay (skin fermented for 11 days); 9% Stellenbosch Chardonnay; 26% Bott Stellenbosch Old Vine Chenin; 17% Stellenbosch Old Vine Muscat (fermented for 7 days on skins and stems); 11% 2020 Reserve Chardonnay aged for 2.5 years in Barrel; and 3% Cool Climate Elgin Riesling. It’s complex and delicious, with lots of bright acidity, notes of lemon curd, and sea spray. Long and poised, it’s an impressive white.

The wine that made Sam’s name, two sites just 8km from the ocean go into this. It’s so expressive and fine, with the salinity and minerality that makes it such a remarkable wine. Already so drinkable, this will age wonderfully, too.

An incredibly elegant, refreshing expression of Grenache, this is delicate and perfumed. There’s wild petals and lots of crunchy red fruit, and there’s also talc-like tannins. This is from Bot River, and its cool climate credential, and careful winemaking, both show through beautifully.

From the Voor Paardeberg, this is a complex and well-balanced Grenache Blanc. It has notes of yellow fruit and plenty of spice and herbal notes. In no way overblown, this is a masterclass in balance from Marelise.

One of our favourite whites from South Africa, this is a wine that sees some skin contact, and is all about salinity, freshness, and texture. Notes of orange peel and wild strawberries support the white peach and pear fruit. There's a spiciness, and also a lot of texture on the palate. Beautifully judged.

Tinta Barocca is a grape with remarkable potential in the Cape, and this is such a brilliant example. Notes of blood orange, bramble, iron oxide, and violets all swirl from the glass. The tannins are powdery and present, but all in perfect balance, while the finish is long, complex, and very impressive. Older bottles of this have blown us away: grab a case today.

With Chenin Blanc from Langkloof, from blocks planted in 1971 and 1979, as well as from Bot River, from shale and clay soils, and Verdelho from Voor Paardeberg and Bot River. This is a charming white, with lots of pith and savouriness. There's a salinity here, as well as lots of tension, and bright yellow fruit. Delicious.

A delicate, fine boned, and strawberry fruited Grenache, that's one of the cape's best. There's so much perfume here, with notes of rooibos and fynbos, and also a core of delicate wild strawberries. The tannins are powdery and dry, and there's lovely freshness on the finish. A delight.

A long, cool vintage has brought an impressive iteration of this much-loved wine. Notes of Fynbos and tapenade, and then a tense and stony finish. This is very intense, slightly austere, with impressive tannins. It will age wonderfully.

From 2 blocks on the Helderberg, this is from 28 to 25 year old vines. There’s a core of blackcurrents, that are crunchy and refined. This is smoky and peppery, with lots of complexity on the finish. A delicious Stellenbosch Cabernet.

This is like a blend between the granite and schist syrahs. There’s a ripeness to the fruit, with notes of cherry and dark bramble. But there’s also a tension and intensity to the acidity, which keeps it all in balance, and very long indeed. There’s so much volume here: a very impressive wine.

From Jakkalsfontein farm, now owned by Adi Badenhorst. Lots of purity and focus, they’ve worked with this block since 2005. Very delicate and fresh on the finish, with lots of floral character.

So much perfume on this, from their own Roundstone farm. There’s a lot of herbal complexity, as well as ripe black cherries, and a meatiness. This is classic Schist Syrah: so complex and with a ton of definition.

From the Eikerlan vineyard on the Paardeberg, one of the highest altitude spots here, this is incredibly focussed and mineral, with notes of lemon pith and anis. So intense, precise, and long.

From the Mullineux’s own vineyard on the Paardeberg, this has a breadth and density. There’s extra phenolic intensity here, from the thicker skins, and that brings a grippiness and a more yellow fruited character. More intense.

A blend of 75% Chenin Blanc, with 5% Semillon Gris from a vineyard planted in 1960, as well as Grenache Blanc, Verdelho, and Viognier, this is a saline, phenolic wine, that’s very fine boned with incredible tension. Textural and long, this will age brilliantly.

Due to the vintage being warmer and drier, more stems were used in 2022. This has a lot of tension, which is balanced with ripe yet perfectly fresh fruit, and a lot of mid palate weight. This remains a benchmark for the Hemel-en-Aarde.

Very fine and pithy. Really nice fruit definition, that is fresh and juicy - and there’s also lots of cool fruit. Nicely balanced. There’s a very bright energy and good depth and density here. Good value.

Lower vigour than the Seadragon, here the family benefitted from being able to wait for harvest in 2022. They let it hang for an extra week, and the resulting wine has 40% stems included. It’s dark and opulent, but also very saline and savoury. Impressive.

The more delicate and perfumed of the single vineyard wines, this is more backwards in style today. There’s a lot of citrus alongside the red fruit, with notes of pomegranate and blood orange. Lovely powdery tannins, and a long finish.

This is very fine - juicy with lots of minerality. There’s also plenty of generous fruit, which is juicy and nicely balanced: notes of greengage and a lot of citrus. The finish is structured and long, with mouth watering salinity abounding.

What used to be called Patatsblanc, this is blend of Colombard and Chenin Blanc. The wine is intense and focussed, with beautiful definition of fruit. Easy going but precise, there's an almost Chablis-like character to the fruit on the finish.

From a single vineyard in Montagu, this is all about pear and peach fruit, and also a lot of ginger spice and fynbos. Incredibly complex, long, and delicious, don't overlook Reenen's whites: he's incredibly talented.

The 2022 Bosberaad comes from the same vineyard as usual: one of the coolest on the Paardeberg. It's tense and vibrant. Notes of grapefruit pith and anis swirl from the glass, while there's plenty of ginger spice and orange peel on the palate. This is a benchmark Chenin from Paul and Pauline: a bargain at this price.

This is from the same vineyard as Bernhard Bredell's Graneetsteen Chenin Blanc, and Chris Alheit's Nautical Dawn. It's from the Rustenhof farm, which is one of the closest to the ocean in Stellenbosch, and this shows lots of yellow fruit and citrus pith, and also an impressive saline, mouthwatering quality. A brilliant Chenin Blanc, and a wine close to Paul's heart: he grew up just down the road from here, in Strand.

The 2021 Porseleinberg is remarkable. Intense and structured, with notes of tapenade and of white pepper, it's the structure that is particularly impressive. Notes of wild flowers and a core of dark fruit hold the wine together, while the minerality on the finish points to a very long future ahead.

A blenc of Chenin from the Paardeberg (including some of Donnovan's most prized grapes), Verdelho, and Viognier. As with all of his wines, this is much more about texture than fruit intensity. It fills the mouth, and lasts an age.

From 2 vineyards on the Piekenierskloof, aged in concrete eggs, this is an incredibly intense, saline, textured white from Donnovan. One of the Cape's best Grenache Blancs, this is seriously impressive, with energy, texture, and concentration.

Mainly from a vineyard in Darling, this is all about perfume and fragrance. There's a lot of tension here, and also very fine tannins, and a wash of floral notes on the finish. Very pretty, and very long.

The only Cinsault Blanc we know about, with just a few hundred bottles made. This is apple-fruited, textured, and saline, and is so much more than a curiosity. Long and pithy, and incredibly delicious, you'll be reaching for another glass.