Description
If you’re curious about why Chenin Blanc is South Africa’s calling card, start here. This six-pack pulls together some of the country’s best-value expressions - from bright, clean coastal styles to textured, skin-contact takes with a bit of edge.
It’s a crash course in the grape that’s quietly become South Africa’s strongest hand, showing just how much complexity, character, and drinkability you can get for not much coin. No two wines here play the same tune and that’s exactly the point.
- 2023 Mullineux Kloof Street Chenin Blanc
- 2023 Carinus Family Chenin Blanc
- 2024 Boschkloof Kottabos Chenin Blanc
- 2023 Olifantsberg Old Vine Chenin Blanc
- 2024 Gabrielskloof Chenin Blanc
- 2024 Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc
2023 Mullineux Kloof Street Chenin Blanc
Chris and Andrea Mullineux know their way around Swartland’s old vines, and this is a perfect introduction to their style: all about balance, purity, and letting the vineyards do the talking.
Sourced from three sustainably farmed sites, including some gnarly old bush vines, this Chenin Blanc is fermented with wild yeasts and aged for 10 months in a mix of stainless steel and old French oak (15%). That little bit of oak brings just enough texture to keep things interesting, while the rest of the wine stays crisp and refreshing.
Expect juicy pear, white peach, and quince on the nose, with a hint of crushed stone and a flicker of honey in the background. The palate is smooth and mouthwatering, packed with bright stone fruit and a clean, mineral finish that makes it almost too easy to keep sipping.
Delicious now, but don’t be surprised if it picks up even more character with a bit of time in the bottle.
93 points
"The 2023 Mullineux Kloof Street Old-Vine Chenin Blanc is outstanding! Many consumers have identified South African Chenin Blancs as some of the best fine wine values in the world and the Kloof Street bottling shows why."
- Wayne Belding (Wine Review Online)
92 points
“Irresistible as ever, 2023 a celebration of spotless fruit & freshness, tiny (2%) oaked portion only there for texture & support. Bouncy ripe orchard fruit, Golden Delicious apple & subtle spice, juicy & harmonious.”
- Platter's Guide
2023 Carinus Family Chenin Blanc
The 2023 Carinus Family Chenin Blanc is a top-notch introduction to Swartland Chenin, made by cousins Danie and Hugo Carinus—fifth-generation growers now stepping into the spotlight.
Sourced from a 41-year-old dry-farmed vineyard in Malmesbury, the vines grow in decomposed granite soils, giving the wine its bright, mineral edge. Fermented and aged for nine months in a mix of old French oak and stainless steel, it’s beautifully balanced between freshness and depth.
Zesty citrus and stone fruit aromas lead into a lively, textured palate with crisp acidity and a clean, savoury finish. Sustainably made and vegan-friendly, it’s a brilliant showcase of Swartland’s potential and a must-try for Chenin lovers.
92 points
"Some flinty reduction before peach, lime, lemon and fynbos. The palate is pure and zippy with a pithy finish. Poised and taut, this over-delivers at the price."
- Christian Eedes (WineMag.Co.ZA)
2024 Boschkloof Kottabos Chenin Blanc
The Kottabos range is where Reenen Borman gets to push the boundaries a bit, and this Chenin is no exception. Sourced from a single site in the Polkadraai Hills, the fruit comes off granite soils that give the wine its drive and edge.
Everything’s done low-intervention - whole-bunch pressed, wild ferment, aged in old oak and time on skins. The 2024 leans into freshness and texture rather than ripeness, with a bit of natural grip and that slightly oxidative, earthy thing that makes it stand out. There’s fruit, sure, but it’s not centre stage - more about feel than flavour.
It’s not trying to be neat or predictable. This is Chenin with a bit of tension and energy, the kind you want slightly chilled and poured with whatever’s on the table. A little raw in the best way - and all the better for it.
93 points
"Impressive fruit density and tangy acidity... relatively lean yet intensely flavourful, more-ish and wonderfully refreshing."
- CE (Christian Eedes)
2023 Olifantsberg Old Vine Chenin Blanc
This comes from a dry-farmed vineyard up in the Breedekloof, planted back in 1982 on shale and sandstone soils. The elevation gives the wine its drive, while the old vines bring depth without weight - a combo that’s become something of a signature for Olifantsberg.
The fruit’s picked early to keep the acidity up, then whole-bunch pressed and fermented wild in a mix of old oak and concrete egg. There’s no heavy stirring or overworking here - just a focus on preserving purity and building texture.
The 2023 has that lovely balance of tension and width - citrus and orchard fruit up front, with a bit of leesy grip and a dry, almost savoury finish. It’s clean, layered and quietly serious, but still very much in the zone of open-now drinking. A proper Cape Chenin and terrific value.
93 points
"Aromas of honeysuckle and vanilla spice with a focused, nuanced palate of citrus and tarte tatin."
- Tim Atkin MW
2024 Gabrielskloof Chenin Blanc
This is a straight-shooting Chenin from Gabriëlskloof’s estate vineyards in Bot River - coastal influence, dry-farmed fruit, and a light touch in the cellar. The team doesn’t chase complexity for complexity’s sake here. It’s more about capturing the natural shape of the fruit and letting it land on its feet.
The 2024 sees a mix of fermentation vessels - mostly older oak with a bit of steel - giving it that subtle texture without weighing anything down. There’s some stone fruit and citrus in the mix, maybe a faint nutty edge from the lees, but nothing showy or forced. It’s dry, fresh, and really well put together.
It’s the kind of white that doesn’t need a lot of explaining. Just clean lines, good bones, and a finish that keeps you going back for another glass. Unfussy, well-made Chenin that’s easy to drink but not forgettable.
2024 Badenhorst Secateurs Chenin Blanc
The Secateurs Chenin has become one of those quiet staples - always reliable, always tasty, and never trying too hard. The 2024 is no different. Sourced mostly from old bush vines around the Swartland, it’s a proper snapshot of what the region does best.
Adi Badenhorst keeps things simple in the cellar - native ferment, mostly old oak and big concrete tanks, no fining, no fluff. The result is a wine that feels grounded and unpretentious, but still has a bit of weight and texture behind it. There’s orchard fruit, a bit of citrus, maybe a touch of spice, but nothing too shouty or overworked.
It’s the kind of white you can pour mid-week and not think too hard about - or bring to a table full of proper wine people and not be embarrassed. Dry, balanced, clean, and always better than it needs to be at the price. Just a really well-made Chenin from a winemaker who’s been doing it right for years.
| Variety | Chenin Blanc |
| Country | South Africa |
| Size | 6 |
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