The results are out for this year’s Chenin Blanc Challenge and it’s no surprise to note that the 11 wines which were awarded 4 stars and above had wood treatment creating complex, layered, age-worthy wines.
As described in an earlier post on this blog, chenin blanc is the most planted and most versatile grape in South Africa and the wines range in price from super economical everyday wines priced at about R30.00 ($4) to R260.00 ($36) for the more elegant chenin styles.
Listed here are the four and five star winners. For the complete awards list, please visit Wine Mag.
Best Value Chenin Blanc
Kleine Zalze Cellar Selection Bush Vines 2009
Best Unwooded Chenin Blanc
Simonsig 2007
Best Wooded Chenin Blanc
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection 2008
Best Chenin Blanc Overall
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection 2008
Five star awards
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection 2008
Four and a half star awards
Kanu KCB 2006
Graham Beck Bowed Head 2008
Simonsig Chenin Avec Chene 2008
Four star awards
Forest Hill, Fort Simon 2008
Fort Simon 2008
Simonsig Woolworths Limited Release Chenin 2008
Stellenrust 44 2008
Spier Private Collection 2008
Land of Hope 2008, The Winery of Good Hope
The FMC Forrester Meinert Chenin 2007
It seems there have been three separate bottlings of the Klein Zalze winning wine and the one that won is not the same as the ones in shops — see grape.co.za
Thanks Peter. I picked up on that. Somehow don’t think this can be in the wine consumers interest.