Cape White Blends make for an important, if niche, category. No official definition exists but our proposal is that such wines can be made from any combination of varieties as long as they include a significant Chenin Blanc component, specifically more than 15% and less than 85% - Chenin is our most planted variety by far (17 148ha in the ground at the end of 2020, this making up 18.6% of the national vineyard) and we should find ways to celebrate it.
This year’s Cape White Blend Report sponsored by multinational financial services company Prescient attracted 32 entries received from 28 producers and these were tasted blind (labels out of sight) by a three-person panel, scoring done according to the 100-point quality scale.
The Top 10 emerged as follows:
94
Coterie by Wildeberg 2020
The Tea Leaf 2020 (Strange Kompanjie)
93
Boplaas Gamka Branca Reserve 2019
Afrikaans Vol. III 2020
92
Forager White 2020 (African Pride Wines)
Meerhof 2019
91
Bonfire Hill White 2020
B Vintners Haarlem to Hope 2019
Muratie Laurens Campher 2019
Zevenwacht The Tin Mine 2020
“These wines have aromatic and flavour profiles that are often unconventional and sometimes downright quirky. However, they offer a particular insight into what the Cape winelands has to offer and what’s more, they offer extraordinary quality relative to price – the average price of this year’s Top 10 is a mere R147,20 a bottle,” says Christian Eedes, panel chairman and Winemag.co.za editor.
To read the report in full, including key findings, tasting notes for the top wines and scores on the 100-point quality scale for all wines entered, visit Winemag.co.za.
Join the conversation on Twitter: @Winemag #CapeWhiteBlend #SAFineWine #Top10
Wines are available for online purchase via boutique wine retailer Dry Dock Liquors alternatively a mixed six-pack of the Top 10 via Wine of The Month Club.