
De Wetshof Estate was only one of three South African wine producers to feature on the gold medal podium.
The unwooded Limestone Hill Chardonnay stood out among 471 entries from 25 countries, judged blind by 200 international experts from March 10-12 this year. Out of 155 medals awarded at the Chardonnay du Monde, only 74 achieved Gold status, placing Limestone Hill Chardonnay among the world's elite Chardonnays for the year.
The 2025 Limestone Hill Chardonnay, crafted from vineyards planted in De Wetshof Estate’s deep clay soils rich in limestone, is known for delivering vibrant notes of grapefruit, pear, and citrus, with elegant minerality, nutty complexity, and a fresh, balanced finish.
Never seeing oak, it emphasizes purity, finesse, and drinkability - qualities praised by critics like Robert Parker for surpassing many global counterparts in balance and length and making it one of South Africa’s best-loved and commercially successful Chardonnays.
"This Gold Medal is a tremendous honour for our team and a testament to the exceptional 2025 vintage in the Cape," said Johann de Wet, CEO of De Wetshof Estate. “The award also underscores the fact that unwooded South African Chardonnay is deemed in the same degree of excellence as the oaked wines, reaffirming what an extraordinary multi-faceted grape Chardonnay is. In the case of Limestone Hill, the quality and the success of the wine can solely be attributed to the extraordinary terroir of De Wetshof’s Robertson vineyards.
Limestone soils and a temperate continental climate allow the grapes to ripen to a degree where they express visceral varietal expression together with that unique geographical signature which flows over into the final wines.
"Being recognised in Burgundy, the spiritual home of Chardonnay, affirms our dedication to crafting authentic, site-expressive wines that compete with the best internationally."