THE WINNERS of South Africa's 2025 Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge – convened by the Chenin Blanc Association and sponsored by Standard Bank – brought to 33 the various expressions of the country's signature white wine variety that have been very highly rated by top panels locally and internationally during the year to date. Standout cellars include Ken Forrester and Stellenrust, both on the Helderberg side of Stellenbosch and both in the Top Wine SA Hall of Fame on the basis of consistently good reviews for their Chenins over many vintages. The FMC 2024 from Ken Forrester impressed the critics at the Decanter World Wine Awards (UK) as well as at the Fine Wine Awards (SA) before placing among the Challenge winners, and Stellenrust dominated the Challenge for the second year in succession, with six of their Chenins qualifying for the Top 20 in 2025, three of these then picked for the Top 10, one of them the unwooded Stellenbosch Manor 2024 at just R99 a bottle!
There were 133 entries from 79 producers entered in the 2025 Chenin Challenge, judged over three days by sommelier Higgo Jacobs (panel chair), Cape Wine Master Ginette de Fleuriot, Rob Gower of the Spar retail group, plus winemakers Noncgebo Langa of Delheim in Stellenbosch and Shawn Mathyse of Ken Forrester Wines. In Jacobs' Report on the competition, he points out that the 133 wines tasted came from grapes grown in 28 areas of the Cape winelands and that the 10 winning wines represent seven different areas in terms of the country's Wine of Origin demarcations. 37 of the entries are unwooded, including two of the Top 10 (the Stellenrust Stellenbosch Manor as well as Pierre DuMont 2024 from Du Toitskloof), and seven of the Top 10 wines are from grapes grown on what are considered old vines.
A week or so before the Challenge results were announced, Ken Forrester also excelled at the Global Chenin Blanc Masters in the UK, with their non-vintage ‘Dirty Little Secret' given a Master Award. In the same competition, Stellenrust also received a Master Award for their 2024 Barrel Fermented Chenin – although on that occasion the most successful producer overall was another Hall-of-Famer, the Spier farm on the Vlottenburg side of Stellenbosch, earning a Master Award for their Seaward 2024 and Grand Master Award for their 21 Gables 2023. The 2025 Chenin Blanc Masters was contested by producers around the world, and according to the tasting report: “Despite Chenin Blanc's origins in the Loire Valley, South Africa now seems to have the edge on its French rival.”
TOP SA CHENIN BLANC IN 2025
Alvi's Drift 221 Chenin Blanc 2024
Top 10, Chenin Blanc Challenge
R120pb ex-cellar, Scherpenheuwel-Worcester
Alvi's Drift Albertus Viljoen Chenin Blanc 2023
95/100, Fine Wine Awards
Wine of the Year, National Wine Challenge
R330pb ex-cellar, Scherpenheuwel-Worcester
Asara Amphora Chenin Blanc 2022
97/100, Fine Wine Awards
R295pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Cederberg Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2024
95/100, International Wine & Spirit Competition
R395pb ex-cellar, Cederberg
Chamonix Old Vine Steen 2024
Top 10, Chenin Blanc Challenge
R475pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Cilmor Winemaker's Selection Chenin Blanc 2024
97/100, Trophy Wine Show
R99pb ex-cellar, Worcester
Dirty Little Secret Five NV
Master Award, Global Wine Masters
R1845pb ex-Ken Forrester cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Donkiesbaai Steen 2024
95/100, Decanter World Wine Awards
R370pb ex-Guardian Peak cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Du Toitskloof Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2024
96/100, International Wine & Spirit Competition
R195pb ex-cellar, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
Endura Single Vineyard Chenin Blanc 2023
95/100, Decanter World Wine Awards
R250pb ex-Perdeberg cellar, Paarl
Joostenberg Agteros Chenin Blanc 2024
Top 10, Chenin Blanc Challenge
R235pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Ken Forrester FMC 2024
Top 10, Chenin Blanc Challenge
95/100, Fine Wine Awards
95/100, Decanter World Wine Awards
R925pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Leeuwenkuil Reserve Chenin Blanc 2024
97/100, Trophy Wine Show
R150pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Meinert 6Chen 2019
Best in Class, Terroir Wine Awards
R295pb ex-cellar, Devon Valley-Stellenbosch
Nederburg Heritage Heroes Anchorman Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2024
95/100, Decanter World Wine Awards
R226pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Perdeberg Dry Land Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2024
96/100, Winemag Report
R200pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Pierre DuMont Chenin Blanc 2024
Top 10, Chenin Blanc Challenge
R105pb ex-Du Toitskloof cellar, Rawsonville-Breedekloof
Rikus Neethling Chenin Blanc 2024 (Bizoe)
95/100, Winemag Report
R175pb ex-Croydon cellar, Somerset West
Roodekrantz Die Kliphuis Chenin Blanc 2024
Top 10, Chenin Blanc Challenge
R495pb ex-cellar in Wellington (WO Swartland)
Shackleton Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2024
Top 10, Chenin Blanc Challenge
R250pb ex-Stettyn cellar, Stettyn-Villiersdorp
Simonsig Langbult Steen Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2024
96/100, Decanter World Wine Awards
R255pb ex-cellar, Koelenhof-Stellenbosch
Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2022
95/100, Decanter World Wine Awards
R340pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2023
Grand Master Award, Global Wine Masters
R340pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
Spier Seaward Chenin Blanc 2024
Master Award, Global Wine Masters
R150pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
Stellenrust B28 Chenin Blanc 2024
Top 10, Chenin Blanc Challenge
R200pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2024
Master Award, Global Wine Masters
R290pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Stellenrust Stellenbosch Manor Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2024
Top 10, Chenin Blanc Challenge
R200pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Stellenrust Stellenbosch Manor Chenin Blanc 2024
Top 10, Chenin Blanc Challenge
R99pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Survivor Chenin Blanc 2024
97/100, Trophy Wine Show
R144pb ex-Van Loveren cellar, Robertson
Survivor Chenin Blanc Reserve 2022
95/100, Fine Wine Awards
95/100, Decanter World Wine Awards
R350pb ex-Van Loveren cellar, Robertson
Vrede en Lust Kogelberg Chenin Blanc 2024
95/100, Winemag Report
R245pb ex-cellar, Simondium-Paarl
Windmeul Chenin Blanc Reserve 2023
Trophy, Terroir Wine Awards
R110pb ex-cellar, Windmeul-Paarl
Zevenwacht Z Chenin Blanc 2024
95/100, International Wine & Spirit Competition
97/100, Trophy Wine Show
R315pb ex-cellar, Kuils River-Stellenbosch