There is something about September in Cape Town. The vineyards add to the beauty of the season, with changing colours marking the shift into spring.
That was the setting recently at Cavalli Estate in Stellenbosch, Western Cape, where winemakers, industry players and stakeholders gathered to celebrate the 2026 Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge.
The competition highlighted the quality and diversity of South African chenin blanc, with wines from regions including Bot River, the Swartland, Breedekloof, Stellenbosch, Wellington, Paarl and Elim.
From the vineyard to the market
Karel Jordan, head of agribusiness and commercial clients at Standard Bank, said wine success depends on more than controlling costs. Farmers and winemakers also need to use their resources efficiently while producing wines that meet the market.
“You can’t be very economical and very efficient producing the wrong wine. That’s not going to sell. So that effectiveness always leads to doing the right thing right, because you can do the right thing wrong, and you can do the wrong thing right.”
Karel Jordan
Philip Myburg, executive head of trade and Africa China business clients at Standard Bank, said improved access to China could create new opportunities for South African wine producers.
“We’re really hoping that the zero tariff improvement in the environment is allowing us that extra avenue and export market into China,” he said.
Myburg noted that changing wine consumption habits in China could also benefit chenin blanc, with more consumers buying wine for home and choosing white wines for social occasions.
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A rich wine heritage
Ginette de Fleuriot, CWM and chair of the judging panel, said chenin blanc is in a strong position, supported by South Africa’s old vines, diverse terroirs and growing international reputation.
She said many wines among the top 10 and top 20 came from old vines, while South Africa’s certified heritage vineyards add to the country’s wine heritage.
“The responsibility now is to continue raising the bar, and to ensure that commercial success never comes at the expense of individuality and quality,” she said.
The top 10 winners are:
- Beaumont Family Wines Hope Marguerite 2025, WO Bot River, Walker Bay
- City on a Hill Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2024, WO Swartland
- DaschBosch Mossiesdrift Steen 2025, WO Breedekloof
- Groot Phesantekraal Anna de Koning 2024, WO Cape Town, Durbanville
- Painted Wolf Wines Lightning Chenin Blanc 2024, WO Wellington
- Stettyn Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2025, WO Stettyn
- Stellenrust ArtiSons Mothership Chenin Blanc 2025, WO Stellenbosch
- Stellenrust 61 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2025, WO Stellenbosch
- Wildeberg Terroirs Chenin Blanc 2024, WO Paarl
- Zoetendal Chenin Blanc 2022, WO Coastal Region
The road to the top
For Denzel Jonathan Swarts of Zoetendal Vineyards & River Estate in Elim, the recognition is also part of a personal journey through the wine industry.
Swarts grew up as a farm child in Koelenhof, Stellenbosch, where he performed general farm duties, pest control and clearing waterlines before moving into management. He is now a sales and brand executive at Zoetendal and a winemaking consultant.
The Zoetendal Chenin Blanc 2022 expresses the coastal character of Elim and was among the top-10 wines.
“The award belongs to the entire team. It is not about the farm or me; it is about what becomes possible when people are given the opportunity to dream, work and grow,” Swarts said.
The DaschBosch Mossiesdrift Steen 2025 also stood out for its connection to old vines. The wine is made from 1962 bush vines in the Breedekloof and spends six months on thick lees before eight months in older oak barrels.
Willem (WS) Visagie, head of winemaking and fulfilment for the branded portfolio at Daschbosch, said the wine represents the character and history of its vineyard.
“The Daschbosch Mossiesdrift Steen stands out primarily because of its history and the meticulous, slow winemaking process that honours its origin,” Visagie said.
He explained that the wine forms part of a wider shift in the perception of South African chenin blanc, supported by old vineyards, research and growing international interest.
The history and people that shape SA chenin blanc
Painted Wolf Wines national sales manager Fred Löffler also took an unconventional route into wine. Before entering the industry, he was a musician in Nelspruit, teaching guitar and performing with local bands.
His uncle, wine collector Daryl Belfour, introduced him to wine and later connected him with Painted Wolf Wines co-founders Jeremy and Emma Borg. Löffler joined the winery as a harvest intern in 2023, later becoming an assistant winemaker and sales representative before moving into his current national sales role.
The Lightning Chenin Blanc 2024 comes from 50-year-old heritage vines in Wellington. “The Lightning Chenin 2024 is one of the wines I am most proud to have been involved in production of,” Löffler said.
The three wines reflect the wider story behind this year’s top 10: old vineyards, distinctive regions and people whose paths into the industry have helped shape South Africa’s chenin blanc story.
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