Prescient Chardonnay Report 2024: Top 10
By Christian Eedes, 18 October 2024
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Introduction
This year’s Chardonnay Report convened by Winemag.co.za and sponsored by multinational financial services company Prescient is now out. There were 71 entries from 52 producers and these were tasted blind (labels out of sight) by a three-person panel, scoring done according to the 100-point quality scale.
Top 10
The 10 best wines overall are as follows:

96
Cape of Good Hope Serruria 2023
Price: R235
Wine of Origin: Elandskloof
Abv: 13%
Winner of a 2BFermControl organic fermentation kit worth R12 500.
95
Boschendal Appellation Series Elgin 2023
Price: R500
Wine of Origin: Elgin
Abv: 13.5%
95
Delaire Graff Banghoek 2023
Price: R430
Wine of Origin: Banghoek
Abv: 13.78%
95
Kershaw GPS Series Lower Duivenhoks River 2021
Price: R725
Wine of Origin: Lower Duivenshok River
Abv: 13.39%
95
Quoin Rock 2021
Price: R440
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 12.44%
94
Blaauwklippen 2023
Price: R210
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 13.7%
94
Eikendal 2022
Price: R300
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 13.04%
94
Flagstone Two Roads 2022
Price: R150
Wine of Origin: Coastal Region
Abv: 14%
94
Neil Ellis Whitehall 2022
Price: R350
Wine of Origin: Elgin
Abv: 13%
94
Oak Valley Tabula Rasa CY548 2021
Price: R750
Wine of Origin: Elgin
Abv: 13.75%
About Chardonnay
Chardonnay is widely planted throughout the world but its traditional home is Burgundy in the east of France, and it fares particularly well in the Côte de Beaune and Chablis where it thrives on the predominantly chalky soils.
It’s relatively easy to grow and winemakers love it for how readily it responds to a variety of techniques. As to what constitutes a good example is hard to define clearly, however. It can vary in colour from very pale to pronounced straw-yellow while it can be steely dry to rather rich and full on the palate. Flavours are often subtle and understated and yet beguiling.
In South Africa, Chardonnay is the seventh most widely planted variety overall, making up 7.5% of the total area under vineyard at the end of 2023.
What does top Chardonnay go for?
The average price of the 45 wines to rate 90-plus is R281 a bottle and of the Top 10 is R409.
Best buy
Offering the best quality relative to price is De Wet 2022 with a rating of 92 and selling for R75 a bottle.
Grapes from vineyards that lie 930 meters above sea-level in the Klein Karoo. Pear, peach, lime, lemon and some earthiness on the nose. Good fruit purity, bright acidity and a dry finish. Harmonious and elegant.
In-depth analysis
To read the report in full, including key findings, tasting notes for the top wines, buyers guide and scores on the 100-point quality scale for all wines entered, download the following: Prescient Chardonnay Report 2024
Tiaan Goussard | 25 October 2024
Let’s go De Wet!!!
Kwispedoor | 19 October 2024
The Serruria is always very good, even in apparent lesser vintages. Splashing out on some of the uber expensive Chards around doesn’t make too much sense if this is available. Hopefully the reasonable pricing will remain in place. It generally matures extremely well, too!