Prescient Chenin Blanc Report 2023: Top 10

By , 16 May 2023

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Introduction

This year’s Chenin Blanc Report convened by Winemag.co.za and sponsored by multinational financial services company Prescient is now out. There were 65 entries of single-variety Chenin Blanc and 16 Cape White Blends (defined as any blend containing a Chenin Blanc component of more than 15% and less than 85%) and these were tasted blind (labels out of sight) by a three-person panel, scoring done according to the 100-point quality scale.

Chenin Blanc Top 10

The 10 best wines overall are:

95

Kleine Zalze Family Reserve 2022
Price: R270
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 13.7%

94

Bellevue Eselgraf Single Vineyard 2022
Price: R95
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 13.01%

93

Bruce Jack Heritage Collection Boer Maak ‘n Plan 2022
Price: R270
Wine of Origin: Breedekloof
Abv: 13.5%

93

Eenzaamheid 2021
Price: R250
Wine of Origin: Agter-Paarl
Abv: 13.7%

 

93

MAN Family Wines Free-run Steen 2022
Price: R90
Wine of Origin: Cape Coast
Abv: 13.5%

93

Nederburg Heritage Heroes Anchor Man Old Vine 2022
Price: R190
Wine of Origin: Swartland
Abv: 12.84%

93

Old Road Wine Co. Anemos 2022
Price: R290
Wine of Origin: Swartland
Abv: 13%

93

Painted Wolf The Den 2022
Price: R105
Wine of Origin: Swartland
Abv: 13.48%

93

Vrede en Lust Kogelberg 2021
Price: R220
Wine of Origin: Elgin
Abv: 13.6%

93

Wildeberg Terroirs 2022
Price: R260
Wine of Origin: Paarl
Abv: 13.5%


Cape White Blends Top Six

94

Org De Rac Die Waghuis White 2021
Price: R199
Wine of Origin: Swartland
Abv: 13.24%

93

Cavalli Cremello 2022
Price: R210
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 13.5%

92

Beaumont New Baby 2020
Price: R450
Wine of Origin: Bot River, Walker Bay
Abv: 11.75%

92

Eenzaamheid Vin Blanc 2022
Price: R150
Wine of Origin: Agter-Paarl
Abv: 13.5%

92

The Tea Leaf 2022 (Wildeberg)
Price: R137
Wine of Origin: Western Cape
Abv: 13.5%

92

Zevenwacht The Tin Mine 2022
Price: R150
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 13.5%

Kleine Zalze, Stellenbosch.

About the category

Chenin Blanc is one of the world’s most versatile grape varieties, capable of producing wines in all manner of styles and at all levels of the market. As recently as 1990, it comprised around 35% of the total area under vineyard in South Africa but in the period after political transformation, the tendency was to replace it with more fashionable red grape types and much was ripped out. It nevertheless remains the country’s most widely planted, making up 16 485ha or 18.4% of the total 89 384ha currently under vine.

Moreover, there has been a growing awareness that the variety had a particular affinity to local growing conditions and there is also a sense that mature vineyards can play a key role in producing wines of excellence. Based on industry convention, old vines are defined as being at least 35 years of age , and of the approximately 4 300ha registered as such, approximately half of this is Chenin.

As for Cape White Blends, these make for an important, if niche, category. No official definition exists but our proposal is that such wines can be made from any combination of varieties as long as they include a significant Chenin Blanc component, specifically more than 15% and less than 85% – the wines that result are often compelling in their complexity and, moreover, no other wine region in the world can lay claim to them.

What does a top Chenin Blanc go for?

The average price of the 46 wines to rate 90-plus is R213 a bottle and of the Top 10 is R198.50.

Best Buy

Offering the best quality relative to price is Leyland Steen 2020 from De Wet Cellar with a rating of 90 and selling for R82 a bottle.

A hint of reduction before citrus, peach and vanilla. Good fruit definition and well integrated acidity before a dry finish. Dense and smooth textured.

In-depth analysis

To read the report in full, including key findings, tasting notes for the top wines and scores on the 100-point quality scale for all wines entered, download the following: Prescient Chenin Blanc Report 2023

Shop online

Johannesburg boutique wine retailer Dry Dock Liquor is offering all of the top-performing wines for sale and can deliver nationwide.

Chenin Blanc – buy now.
Cape White Blends – buy now.
Attend a tasting – buy tickets here.

Hermanus wine shop Wine Village is offering all of the top-performing wines for sale and can ship all over the world.

Chenin Blanc – buy now.
Cape White Blends – buy now.

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Comments

1 comment(s)

Please read our Comments Policy here.

    Donald Griffiths | 16 May 2023

    Phenomenal value here. Three wines in the Top 10 between R90 and R105 per bottle. Proving yet again that price does not always equal drinking pleasure.

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