Some of the most influential palates in the world of wine will be tasting this year’s Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top Ten Challenge winners when international buyers, critics, and the media visit the country this spring.
Speaking on behalf of the Challenge’s five judges, panel chair James Pietersen said the winning line-up was arguably emblematic of the country’s best in Chenin winemaking. “A very diverse group of wines, together they reflect a combination of innovation, accomplished experimentation and altogether, dextrous, and imaginative winemaking.”
Submissions were judged blind against critically acclaimed non-entrants to ensure the panel was rating them within the broadest possible context of the industry’s best examples.
South Africa has more Chenin growing than anywhere else in the world combined and is internationally regarded as its biggest champion. South Africa is also considered to have pioneered a new generation of original and versatile styles, inspiring others across the world to find their own unique expressions.
“Chenin’s demonstrable climate resilience has recently made it a renewed favourite in France’s Loire Valley from where the grape comes, as well as in other wine-producing countries that are having to contend with climbing temperatures,” Pietersen said.
He said 137 wines were submitted and old vines predominated across the winning wines, with most of the vineyards at least 30 years’ old and, in one example, 70 years’ old. “But there were younger vines too, of eight and ten years, perhaps reflective of more considered wine-growing strategies applied in recent times.
“While Stellenbosch was the source of four of the ten winning wines, fruit this year also came from Tygerberg, Swartland, Worcester, Piekenierskloof, Tulbagh and Wellington.”
There were four newcomers to the winning line-up this year, produced by Nabygelegen Private Cellar in Wellington, Piekenenierskloof Wine Company in Citrusdal, Rascallion Wines, a negociant based in Stellenbosch but sourcing widely, and Stellenbosch Vineyards.
The Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge winners, listed alphabetically, are:
• Alvi’s Drift Private Cellar 221 Chenin Blanc 2021
• Kaapzicht Wine Estate Kliprug Chenin Blanc 2021
• Nabygelegen Private Cellar Chenin Blanc 2021
• Piekenierskloof Wine Company Bergendal Chenin Blanc Old Vine 2021
• Rascallion Devonian Chenin Blanc 2021
• Rijk’s Cellar Touch Chenin Blanc 2020
• Spier Wines Seaward Chenin Blanc 2021
• Stellenbosch Vineyards Bushvine Chenin Blanc 2021
• Stellenrust Wine Estate Stellenbosch Manor Fermented Chenin Blanc 2020
• Stellenrust Wine Estate Old Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2021
Stellenrust has featured on every Top Ten list since the inception of the challenge in 2014, making this its ninth consecutive win. This is the eighth time Spier has appeared, the fourth time for Rijk’s Cellar, and the second for Alvi’s Drift.
The competition awards a cash prize to each of the producers of the ten best Chenins selected every year. A condition of the competition is that the money must be used towards enhancing the quality of life of farm workers and/or their communities.