Chenin Blanc & Chenin Blends

From the vineyard next door to the cellar - Kelder in Afrikaans - this is a quintessential Paardeberg Chenin Blanc. Planted in 1974, the vines are now considerable in size, and this has orchard fruit and lots of spice.

A Chenin that would make many German GG producers blush. Electric on the palate, this is pure, crystalline and saline. Primarily a mineral wine, there are notes of white peach, pear and stone fruit with white flowers and verbena. This is a wonderful effort from Sebastien Beaumont in the Bot River.

A brilliant Chenin from the young Kiara Scott. From old vine Chenin Blanc, planted in 1985, which is grown on decomposed shale and granite. It offers restrained aromatics of pear skin, honeycomb and golden citrus with just a hint of toast. The palate is deep and concentrated. Yellow apples, kumquat and peaches sing above the chalky texture and fine, crystalline finish.

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.

An intense, bold style of Chenin this offers real intensity of apricot and stone fruits on the palate, notes of salted almonds, acacia and peach skin. The soils is very shallow shale soils in the Paardeberg, which gives the wine a real mineral focus.

From a vineyard planted in 1984, only 999 bottles were made this year. It is wonderfully pure, opening out on the mid-palate with notes of orange blossom, bitter melon, and apricot. Very fluid and saline on the finish.

From a vineyard planted in 1968 this is more flinty, spicy and driven in style. Offering notes of white grapefruit, verbena, with real tension at its core this is a beautifully chiselled Chenin.

At the moment the most reserved of the range, it also holds the most promise. Planted in 1981 on the Paardebosch farm the soils are primarily decomposed granite. Leading with notes of pear, white peach, and white flowers, there is also hints of ginger, lemongrass and chalk dust. Very crystalline and tense right now, this will age gracefully.

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.

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 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.

The 2021 Bosberaad comes from a single parcel on the Paardeberg, planted in 1980. The nose has quince and fresh conference pears, as well as a citrus element, while the palate is arrow straight with incredible texture. This is an outstanding Chenin Blanc: a wine from one of South Africa's best winemakers, that shouldn't be missed.

Produced from a single concrete egg this year, the fruit comes from a vineyard planted in 1969 at one of the highest, most granitic points on the Paardeberg. It is tense and focused, with notes of lime blossom, white grapefruit and ocean spray on the finish.

The Ava Chenin is a focused and finessed style offering notes of white and yellow flowers, conference pear and notes of orange peel. There is a racy acidity to the wine with fine detail and subtle lemongrass notes on the finish.

Primarily a blend of Chenin Blanc with some Verdelho and a little Viognier, this is a charming white with bright white peach and pear flavours, delicate white flowers and lovely hint of bitter melon on the finish.

Planted 1978 by Bernhard’s grandfather this plot is very close to the ocean. It opens with suggestions of ocean spray and hints of stone fruit, but this also has a delicious savory edge too. White grapefruit, ginger, hints of golden fruit ending very focused and intense.