DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin wins third trophy of the year at 2015 Top 10 Challenge

Chenin Challenge Logo 2015-cmyk (smaller, jpeg)A CLASSIC Wine Trophy in the first quarter of the year, a trophy at the International Wine Challenge in London during the second quarter and then selection among the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 in the third… It’s a wonder that the 2014 DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin Blanc hadn’t already sold out by the time the Chenin Blanc Association’s latest awards function took place in Cape Town, but at over R200 a bottle, coupled with Chenin’s somewhat undervalued status among the world’s great white grape varieties, perhaps there will still be some of this beauty on-shelf when next DeMorgenzon is called to the podium.

The choice of Stellenrust, Simonsig and Spier among the winners of the Top 10 Challenge was also to be expected. Perdeberg has now put a string of good vintages together as their Dry Land Collection. And the surprise winners include wines from Strand garagiste Aeternitas and UK-based Boutinot, whose label suggests a rather unusual taste sensation: The Tea Leaf Chenin Blanc. But, besides the growing number of accolades for the wines of Wendy and Hylton Appelbaum, DeMorgenzon is one of the most interesting wine farms in the Cape – pretty smart winemaker in Carl van der Merwe, philanthropic proprietor, and baroque music played to the vines!

2015 CHENIN BLANC TOP 10 CHALLENGE WINNERS

Aeternitas Blanc 2010 @ R120pb, cellar door Strand (Swartland grapes)
DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin Blanc 2014 @ R210pb, cellar door Stellenbosch Kloof
KWV Cathedral Cellar Chenin Blanc 2014 @ R85pb, cellar door Paarl (grapes from Paarl, Swartland & Stellenbosch)
L’Avenir Single Block Chenin Blanc 2014 @ R195pb, cellar door Stellenbosch
Leopard’s Leap Culinaria Chenin Blanc 2014 @ R70pb, cellar door Franschhoek (Voor Paardeberg grapes)
Simonsig Chenin Avec Chêne 2014 @ R115pb, cellar door Koelenhof, Stellenbosch
Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2014 @ R139pb, cellar door Stellenbosch (Durbanville grapes)
Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2013 @ R130pb, cellar door Stellenbosch
The Dry Land Collection Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2014 (Perdeberg) @ R77pb, cellar door Paarl
The Tea Leaf Chenin Blanc 2014 (Boutinot) @ R74pb, cellar door Stellenbosch (Piekenierskloof grapes)

Chenin Blanc Top 10 2015 20150814 (packshots, smaller)

JUDGES: blind tastings of 135 wines were conducted ‘blind’ by a panel including Christian Eedes (editor of winemag.co.za), Jamie Goode (wine columnist with UK national newspaper The Sunday Express), sommelier Higgo Jacobs, François Rautenbach (Premier Wine Direct programme for Singita Game Reserves), Cathy van Zyl MW (associate editor of Platter’s South African Wine Guide).

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Want to have your say?