THE COMPETITION winners in the South African Winemag's 2024 Prescient Chenin Blanc Report have a history of glowing reviews for their ‘Perdeberg Dry Land Collection Courageous Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc'. Quite a mouthful, with previous vintages of this Paarl bottling earning a gold medal at the Global Wine Masters (2023), 95 points at the International Wine & Spirit Competition plus another gold at the Global Masters (2022), and so on. It's one of the country's Top 20 Chenins on the basis of respected panel tastings over the past 10 years. As is the Buys family's Vrede en Lust Kogelberg, in this instance with their 2024 vintage – another Paarl cellar, with grapes from their Elgin farm, Casey's Ridge. And also putting up his hand was Rikus Neethling of Bizoe/Croydon Vineyards, Somerset West/Stellenbosch.
There were 63 entries from 53 producers. On the panel: Winemag editor Christian Eedes, SA Sommelier Association chairman Spencer Fondaumiere and ‘The Vineyard Party' winemaker Jolette Steyn of Cape Town merchant Wine Cellar. See below for all of their top-rated wines, and for the full report click here.
96/100
Perdeberg Dry Land Barrel Fermented Chenin 2024
R200pb ex-cellar, Windmeul-Paarl
95/100
Rikus Neethling Chenin Blanc 2024
R175pb ex-Bizoe/Croydon cellar, Somerset West
Vrede en Lust Kogelberg Chenin Blanc 2024
R245pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
94/100
Cederberg Five Generations Chenin Blanc 2024
R395pb ex-cellar, Cederberg
Croydon Covenant Chenin Blanc 2024
R200pb ex-cellar, Somerset West
Durbanville Hills Collectors Reserve Chenin 2024
R150pb ex-cellar, Durbanville
Warwick Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2023
R550pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
93/100
Bellingham Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc Limited Release 2023
R265pb ex-producer, Franschhoek
Cavalli Reserve Chenin Blanc 2024
R230pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Chamonix Old Vine Steen 2024
R475pb ex-cellar, Franschhoek
Donkiesbaai Steen 2024
R370pb ex-Guardian Peak cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Chenin Blanc 2023
R299pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Knorhoek Chenin Blanc 2024
R255pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Zevenwacht Z Chenin Blanc 2024
R315pb ex-cellar, Kuils River-Stellenbosch
