HOW ABOUT THAT!! While the good people at Spier in Stellenbosch were introducing Farmer Angus, the new flagship range among their organic wine offerings, another of their organic-certified wines was impressing British wine masters at the other end of the price spectrum. Highlights of the 2024 Global Chenin Blanc Masters in the UK include Master Awards for a couple of wines from Spier, one of which is the 2023 Good Natured Organic Chenin at R115pb ex-cellar – a steal compared with the currently available Farmer Angus Organic Chenin at R595pb.
Perhaps more amazing about The Drinks Business report on the Masters is that it takes until paragraph four before the organisers of this international tasting stop talking about wines of the Loire in France and change the subject to that of the Cape winelands in South Africa. This despite the fact that Stellenbosch cellars earned three of the five ultimate accolades presented on this occasion, with one going to a winery in the Loire and one to a Clarksburg cellar in West Virginia, USA. See below for the SA stars of the show, and for the full report click here. The judges: British Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers and senior buyers in the UK wine trade.
MASTER AWARD WINNERS
Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2022
R320pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
Spier Good Natured Organic Chenin Blanc 2023
R115pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch ‘1679' Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2022 (Koelenhof)
R230pb ex-cellar, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch
GOLD MEDAL WINNERS
Bowwood Chenin Blanc 2022 (Vondeling)
R330pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Dalkeith Kalmoesfontein Chenin Blanc 2023
Price t.b.c. – Paarl cellar
Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve Chenin Blanc 2023
R140pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Nederburg Heritage Heroes Anchorman Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2023
R205pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Perdeberg Dry Land Fortified Chenin Blanc 2022
R160pb (500ml) ex-cellar, Paarl
Perdeberg Dry Land Old Vine Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2023
R170pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Stellenbosch ‘1679' Bush Vine Chenin Blanc 2023 (Koelenhof)
R240pb ex-cellar, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch
Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2023
R275pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
One Response
The judges at the 2024 Global Chenin Blanc Challenge were: Patrick Schmitt MW, Patricia Stefanowicz MW, Siobhan Turner MW, Neil Sommerfelt MW, Jonathan Pedley MW, Andrea Briccarello.