SOUTH AFRICA'S good showing at the 2025 Global Chardonnay Masters in the UK was remarkable for a number of reasons. Among the gold medallists announced mid-November is Springfield of Robertson, who usually try to avoid having their wines rated in panel tastings conducted ‘blind'. Also among the standouts are Cape Chardonnays under labels that many wine lovers might not have heard of before: St Leger from Charles Searle in Constantia as well as Salt Rock from Rudolph Steenkamp and Alexander Grier in Stellenbosch.
The major takeaway from this Masters tasting was “the quality of Chardonnay from the Western Cape”. According to judge Patrick Schmitt MW: “Such a high proportion of our top-scoring wines were from South Africa, and at a range of price points.” The title of Grand Master for the “best wine of the competition”, however, went to the 2023 Estate Reserve from Platt Vineyard on the Sonoma Coast of California in the USA. Total number of entries: 160 wines from 17 countries. On the judging panels: 12 Masters of Wine and a senior business development manager.
Just a month earlier at South Africa's biggest wine show, the Veritas Awards, the top score given in the Chardonnay class was 93 points and only one wine was considered good enough for such a rating. Whereas in the Chardonnay chapter of the 2025 Global Wine Masters competitions there were 12 of the country's wines rated 93 or higher, with two of them scored the 97+ required for Master awards – the 2023 Whalehaven Seascape Reserve and the 2024 Banghoek Chardonnay from Delaire Graff.
SA MASTER AWARDS
Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Chardonnay 2024
R465pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
Whalehaven Seascape Reserve Chardonnay 2023
R540pb ex-cellar, Hemel-en-Aarde Village-Hermanus
In total there were six Chardonnay Masters: 2 from South Africa, 2 from Australia, 1 from the USA, 1 from New Zealand
SA GOLD AWARDS
Babylonstoren Chardonnay 2024
R425pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Blaauwklippen Chardonnay 2024
R240pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Capensis Silene Chardonnay 2023
R450pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
De Wetshof Finesse Chardonnay 2024
R190pb ex-cellar, Robertson
GlenWood Grand Duc Chardonnay 2023
R740pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Journey's End Destination Chardonnay 2024
R440pb ex-cellar, Sir Lowry's Pass-Somerset West
Salt Rock Stand Alone Chardonnay 2024
R370pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Springfield Méthode Ancienne Chardonnay 2021
R354pb ex-cellar, Robertson
St Leger Chardonnay 2022
Price t.b.c. ex-cellar, Constantia
The Pledge Our Barrels Chardonnay 2024
R180pb ex-Le Grand cellar, Devon Valley-Stellenbosch
