AT UNDER R50 a bottle, South Africa’s top Chenin Blancs in 2015 include several classified wines, namely Alvi’s Drift ADS from Worcester, Simonsig of Stellenbosch and Windmeul from Paarl. Stretch to R100 a bottle, and your options expand to encompass the Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection, one of the Top 10 Chenin Blancs in the country on the basis of great track records spanning the past 10 years, as well as the 2014 barrel-fermented version of The Dry Land Collection from Perdeberg in Paarl  and Leopard’s Leap Culinaria from Franschhoek – stand-outs for having collected gold medals locally and internationally as well as placing among the winning wines in the local Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge.

The following wines all received good reviews in 2015 and the prices are those at the cellar door when surveyed during the course of the year, or approximate retail prices in the case of wineries that are closed to the public:

TOP SA CHENIN BLANC AT UNDER R50 A BOTTLE IN 2015

Alvi’s Drift ADS C2014, Worcester – R40
BC 2015 (Brandvlei), Worcester – R25
Boschendal Rachel’s 2015, Franschhoek – R47
De Wet Cellar Unwooded 2015, Worcester – R28
Mia 2015 (Stofberg), Rawsonville – R45
Simonsig 2015, Koelenhof/Stellenbosch – R45
Spier Signature 2015, Stellenbosch – R39
Stellenrust 2015, Helderberg/Stellenbosch – R47
Swartland Winery Winemaker’s Collection 2015, Malmesbury – R30
Windmeul 2015, Paarl – R38

TOP SA CHENIN BLANC AT UNDER R100 A BOTTLE IN 2015

Allée Bleue 2014, Franschhoek – R55
Boland Cellar Reserve 2014, Paarl – R63
Doran 2013, Voor Paardeberg/Paarl – R69
Eagle’s Cliff 2015, Worcester – R55
Ken Forrester Old Vine Reserve 2014, Helderberg/Stellenbosch – R90
Ken Forrester Woolworths Reserve Collection 2014, Helderberg/Stellenbosch – R75
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Barrel Fermented 2014, Stellenbosch – R77
KWV Cathedral Cellar 2014, Paarl – R85
L’Avenir 2014, Stellenbosch – R80
Leopard’s Leap Culinaria 2014, Franschhoek – R70
MAN 2015, Stellenbosch – R60
Nuy Inspiration 2015, Worcester – R70
Ridgeback 2014, Paarl – R75
Saam Mountain Middelburg 2013 (Perdeberg), Paarl – R74
Simonsig Woolworths Unwooded 2014, Koelenhof/Stellenbosch – R60
Star Hill 2013, Barrydale – R85
Swartland Winery Bush Vine 2014, Malmesbury – R59
The Dry Land Collection Barrel Fermented 2014 (Perdeberg), Paarl – R77
The Dry Land Collection Unwooded 2014 (Perdeberg), Paarl – R70
The Tea Leaf 2014 (Boutinot), Stellenbosch – R74
Uitkyk 2013, Simonsberg/Stellenbosch – R70
Under Oaks 2015, Paarl – R69
Welbedacht Old Bush Vine Barrel Fermented 2012, Wellington – R95
Windmeul Reserve 2014, Paarl – R55