Among them, the Whalehaven Seascape Reserve Chardonnay 2022 received a Gold Medal and an outstanding 95 points, placing Whalehaven among South Africa’s top-performing Chardonnay producers and highlighting the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley as a premier origin for cool-climate, mineral-driven white wines. Trophies were awarded to: Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Chardonnay 2023 and Journey’s End Destination Chardonnay 2016 and Gold Awards bestowed on De Grendel Op Die Berg Chardonnay 2024 and the Whalehaven Seascape Reserve Chardonnay 2022.
Regarded as South Africa’s most exacting wine competition, the Trophy Wine Show – judged by a panel of international and local experts led by founding chairman Michael Fridjhon - is known for strict scoring standards. Very few wines achieve Gold, and even fewer earn 95 points or higher, placing the Seascape Reserve Chardonnay in the top tier. This year’s South African panel included Christian Eedes, Heidi Duminy CWM, Eben February, Malu Lambert, Mandla Patson Mathonsi, James Pietersen, and JD Pretorius.
Chardonnay shaped by the sea
The Seascape Reserve Chardonnay 2022 is a wine of poise and precision, expressing its maritime origin with clarity and finesse. Aromas of honeysuckle, wet limestone, and lemon zest unfold on the nose, underpinned by cool-toned fruit and subtle oak integration. The palate is taut and mineral-driven, with layers of Granny Smith apple, crushed river stone, lemon pith, and a whisper of sea breeze salinity, carried by a sleek acid spine and a textured, lingering finish. Barrel-selected for purity and detail, this Reserve bottling captures both the soils and oceanic influence of the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley with remarkable definition.
A vision realized
Since Silvana Bottega stepped more actively into guiding the direction of the winery in 2020, there has been a clear focus on site expression and refined winemaking, with Chardonnay taking centre stage. This Gold Medal reflects Whalehaven’s quiet transformation: a shift toward site-driven, maritime Chardonnay with elegance at its core.
“This recognition goes far beyond a score – it reflects the quiet transformation we've been building at Whalehaven over the past few years. Burgundy varietals and particularly Chardonnay has become our compass, and the Seascape Reserve is our purest expression. It’s incredibly rewarding to see a wine born from such intention and restraint resonate on this level - not only for us, but for what it says about the calibre of wines coming out of Hemel-en-Aarde today. We have been working with this site since 2012 and this is a great vintage.”– Silvana Bottega.
This accolade signals more than a single vintage's success – it confirms Whalehaven’s role in a new wave of producers redefining South African Chardonnay, not with opulence, but with restraint, structure, and mineral intensity.