This Saturday (14 June) is Drink Chenin Day, and Stellenbosch locals have more than just the grape to toast; they can raise a glass to a world champion winemaker.
Johan Jordaan, cellar master at the historic Spier Wine Farm, was recently crowned Global Chenin Blanc Master Winemaker at the Master Winemaker 100 Awards, which was held in Paris, France.
The award is a prestigious international recognition of Jordaan’s skill and passion for Chenin Blanc.
The winemaker’s international honour follows outstanding performances by two Spier Chenin Blancs in The Global Wine Masters competition. Here the Spier Good Natured Chenin Blanc 2023 and Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2022 both earned Master gold medals, the highest accolade awarded.
As a grape varietal, Chenin Blanc is nimble; what makes it admirable is its ability to acclimatise to a variety of conditions, deftly expressing a specific terroir. “Chenin is a wine built in layers. From vineyard to bottle, it takes many hands and a deep respect for the land,” Jordaan says.
“While it’s a winemaker’s dream to work with, it also demands a hands-on approach and deep understanding of the vineyards.”
First planted in local soils in the 17th century, with the earliest records dating back to 1655, Chenin Blanc has become the most widely planted grape variety in South Africa, accounting for 18,4% of the country’s vineyards.
This vigorous grower with high yields used to be popular for large-production wines, as a component in blends or as a base for brandy distillation. It was known to be a hard-working and trustworthy varietal to work with, but went largely unheralded in the past.
It didn’t come easy, and it took centuries, but finally, the workhorse of wine grapes has its day of glory as the world celebrates Chenin Blanc Day annually on 14 June.
The #DrinkChenin movement celebrates this grape varietal as true royalty on this day – and rightly so.
“Good wine starts with good soil,” says Jordaan. “Our approach to Chenin Blanc, like everything we do at Spier, begins with caring for the land. This recognition belongs to our entire team, from the people nurturing our soils to those crafting these wines in our cellar.”
The grapes for the Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2022 are hand-picked from old vine vineyards situated in the hills of the Tygerberg and the wine is richly layered with ripe, juicy peach, while pear, litchi and melon fruit aromas are balanced with citrus rind and white coriander spice.
A delicate balance of freshness and complexity makes this wine both generous and age-worthy.
The grapes for the Spier Good Natured Chenin Blanc 2023 are sourced from organic vineyards free of synthetic pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers. Bees, bugs and birds act as welcome pest control, and in the winter, oat, mustard and clover seeds are planted for cover crops to germinate and add nutrition to the soil.
