Oscar Siziba, head of coverage: business banking at Standard Bank; Neil Bruwer, Chamonix winemaker; Ken Forrester, chairman of the Chenin Blanc Association; and Brad Breetzke, executive head: commercial banking client management at Standard Bank.
Premier Franschhoek wine estate Chamonix secured a place among the Cape’s leading Chenin Blanc producers by grabbing its first spot in the Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge, South Africa’s leading awards show for this white grape with which the country is so synonymous. The Chamonix Old Vine Steen 2024 was judged to be one of the top 10 wines entered into this year’s Chenin Blanc Challenge which drew 133 entries from all of South Africa’s leading wine appellations.
Chamonix Old Vine Steen is made from a vineyard planted in 1965 on the estate’s mountain vineyards above the town of Franschhoek. According to Chamonix winemaker Neil Bruwer the estate’s Old Vine Steen has had an exceptional run of ratings and accolades since its maiden 2020 vintage, underscoring the unique wine quality that can be achieved from South Africa’s old vine offering.
Bruwer says the appeal and distinctive profile of Chamonix Old Vine Steen lies in the age of the vineyards and the estate’s mountain terroir.
“Old vineyard wines definitely have a point of differentiation in terms of texture, structure and palate-weight,” says Bruwer. “In the case of Chenin Blanc, which represents the bulk of South Africa’s old vine category, the age of the vineyard allows the fruit nuances of Chenin to come to the fore while exuding that extra presence and complexity that allows the wine to command attention. We are extremely fortunate in having the aged beauty that is our Chenin Blanc vineyard planted in 1965 which, as I can attest to after harvesting it again this year, is still in fine fettle growing grapes of grace and personality.”
Chamonix’s Old Vine Chenin Blanc vineyard is planted at 320m above sea-level in loamy apedal soil of sandstone origin. Farmed dryland, this vineyard comprises 0.58ha with just over 1 700 vines. The grapes are handpicked and whole-bunch pressed. Fermentation occurs naturally in 30% old French oak barriques, 35% clay amphora and 35% ceramic egg. The wine is then aged in barrels for seven months.
According to Bruwer, the Chamonix Old Vine Steen 2024 offers everything a wine lover would expect from a white wine made from an old vineyard that has lived through a large part of the Cape’s wine history. “Working with the old grapes is an inspiration,” says Bruwer. “Tasting the wine is a revelation. Bright fruit-flavours, so characteristic of Chenin Blanc, are evident in the wine. The formidable palate weight, sheer presence and the enormous satisfaction the wine provides as a result of its old vine legacy, is marvellous to taste. It is great to see South Africa’s old vine category performing well in the Standard Bank Top 10 Challenge, arguably one of the world’s leading competitions focussing on Chenin Blanc.”
Stefan van Rooyen, CEO of Chamonix Estate, says achieving a Top 10 spot in the Chenin Blanc Challenge underscores the estate’s ability to create excellence from a broad spectrum of cultivars.
“For one wine farm to be able to make premium wines from diverse varieties such as Chenin Blanc, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc – as is the case with Chamonix – showcases the unique terroir traits of the Cape winelands,” he says. “The soils, climate and aspects state that wine is meant to be made here, and like many South African wine farms, we at Chamonix are grateful to be able to do justice to the region’s geography from which some of the world’s best wines are being made.”