Top 5 South African Chenin Blanc Wines
Narrowing this down to 5 Chenin Blancs is madness...and I'm sure there'll be many who disagree. Be gentle! Here, in no particular order, are my current Top 5 South African Chenin Blancs:
Mouton Family Wines Revenge of the Crayfish
Not only is he a helluva nice guy, Sakkie Mouton’s wines express strong sense of identity - in terms of both winemaking and terroir. I missed out on the maiden release, but each year since these wines have offered a signature mouthwatering briny minerality that speaks to their origins in the Weskus (West Coast)…and an authentic energy not dissimilar to the winemaker’s personality. The last bottle I tasted showed green apple flesh, apricots, nectarines, fennel bulk, lime alongside the sea kelp salinity and minerality. There’s texture but the salinity has the wine slipping down your tongue.
Beaumont Hope Marguerite
Raised in Bot River, the Hope Marguerite has proved itself year after year. Always keen to commit infanticide with these wines that have proven to age very well, my 2021 notes went something like this: round, rich, mouth-coating quince, guava, bruised Granny Smith apples, baking spices, and fynbos or hay - it’s powerful, but the laser-like acidity and pithiness that keeps things focused and crisp.
Brookdale Estate Chenin Blanc
The most disturbing thing about this wine is how textbook perfect it is. It knows exactly what it wants to be and proceeds to be just that. Intense concentration, complexity for day, all with an elegance that makes this exceedingly pleasurable to drink.
My review of the 2019 can be read here.
Alheit Huilkrans (haven’t yet tasted the new Magnetic North)
Only because, if I’m going to limit myself to only 5 wines then I need to choose only one Alheit. As always, the precision and tension from these Alheit wines is almost austere. But then the slinky texture and generosity of complex flavours cushions this austerity. I have only brief notes on this - meebos (salty dried apricots), peaches, peach flavoured rooibos tea, freshly picked hay, dried fynbos and slate.
Sadie Family Wines Rotsbank
I believe this was Sadie’s first single varietal Chenin from the Swartland. And dang, does it deliver. My overwhelming impression was of a precise, clean, concentration of pears, pineapples, peaches and honey filtered through mineral flinty whetstone. Because it was so memorable, it’s beaten a few other Chenins to make the list.
A brief review from the first time I tasted this wine at crowded event can be found here.
Special shout outs got to the Kaapzicht, Carinus, Keermont Riverside Chenin, Wolf & Woman, David & Nadia Plat’bos, Dalkeith Kalmoesfontein, DeMorgenzon, and Ken Forrester FMC Chenin Blanc wines!
Note that this list does not include blends.
Disclaimer: I have not tasted every single SA wine. These are the wines that are memorable to me and that, in my opinion, deserve a mention. These lists are subject to change/updates as I explore more wines. Discourse is always encouraged - I look forward to learning from you.
