A field trip under an oak tree at the Wellington Harvest Festival on Saturday confirmed an unexpected lesson learnt from the three Good Value Guru blind tastings we’ve conducted so far. When it comes to Sauvignon Blanc, stick with Collective Producers. If your taste is for Chenin, then best value is to be found from boutique producers like James Mackenzie (below).

The Nabygelegen 2013 is fresh and lively, bursting with tangy fruit. The weak point at the Bosman jol was the scarcity of wholesome food. No local olive oil? Get a grip, manne. And processed orange supermarket cheddar is a crime in the breadbasket of the Winelands. So it was off to Twist Some More across the road for some fresh figs, pomegranate pips and springbok carpaccio from Johan van Schalkwyk (below).

To test the hypothesis, I ordered the 2013 Chenin from one of the local Wine Collectives. Mistake! It was bland and faceless without any detectable character. So down the hatch and an order quickly placed for another bottle of Naby. Which it is, as James’ farm is just up the road.