Comparisons are odious but great fun. Yesterday saw the unveiling of Standard Bank’s Chenin Top Ten at Xanadu in Oke City aka Delaire Graff. A snail-like event I hear and an extravagant venue indeed for a sponsor whose credit worthiness was downgraded by Moody’s earlier this month. Still, they’re obviously saving on essentials as I’ve been dropped from their press release list, so had to rely on fellow Tops @ Spar Fundi Christian Eedes for the winners.
That Chris makes no mention of score but quotes a cellar door price confirms that our own RECM Best Value strategy is clearly having an effect in the crazy spittoon of SA wine. Not that Standard really cares about money when they fly in judges from the UK and accommodate out-of-townies at Delaire. Is that Nero I hear fiddling in the background, perchance?
Standard’s Top Ten:
Bellingham The Old Orchard’s 2013
Cellar door price: R95
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve 2013
Cellar door price: R141
KWV The Mentors 2012
Cellar door price: R160
Perdeberg The Dry Land Collection Barrel Fermented 2013
Cellar door price: R73
Remhoogte Honeybunch Reserve 2013
Cellar door price: R150
Rijk’s Cellars Private Cellar 2009
Cellar door price: R130
Simonsig Chenin Avec Chêne 2010
Cellar door price: R110
Spier Woolworths Private Collection 2013
Woolworths price: R109.95
Stellenrust 2014
Cellar door price: R44
Villiera Traditional Barrel Fermented 2014
Cellar door price: R94.50
with an average retail price of over R110 per bottle. Our competing top scoring top ten is
Saam Mountain Vineyards: The Middelburg Chenin Blanc 2013 score 16.00 price R70.00
Nederburg The Anchorman Chenin Blanc 2012 score 15.80 price R105.00
Rudera Robusto Chenin Blanc 2011 score 15.80 price R120.00
Alvi’s Drift Chenin Blanc 2014 score 15.70 price R36.50
Graham Beck The Game Reserve Chenin Blanc 2013 score 15.70 price R65.00
Kasteelberg Chenin Blanc 2010 score 15.70 price R106.00
Rudera de Tradisie Chenin blanc 2009 score 15.60 price R120.00
Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve Chenin Blanc 2013 score 15.60 price R149.00
Perdeberg Winery Chenin Blanc 2014 score 15.50 price R36.00
Rickety Bridge Chenin blanc 2014 score 15.50 price R52.00
with not a single wine in common! At an average price of R85.95, we’re 22% cheaper than the Standard Bank selection. Even though price was not a criterion, seems that our judges were not as impressed by show wines, sugar and oak bombs with fancy price tags as the Diamond Dogs of Delaire. I know which Top Ten I think is most credible.
If you wave the RECM Best Value wand, our six pack becomes
Alvi’s Drift Chenin Blanc 2014 score 15.70 price R36.50
Perdeberg Winery Chenin Blanc 2014 score 15.50 price R36.00
Graham Beck The Game Reserve Chenin Blanc 2013 score 15.70 price R65.00
Rickety Bridge Chenin blanc 2014 score 15.50 price R52.00
Saam Mountain Vineyards: The Middelburg Chenin Blanc 2013 score 16.00 price R70
Slanghoek Private Collection Chenin Blanc 2014 score 15.20 price R30.00
For an average price of R46.58, just over 1/3 of what you’ll pay at Standard Bank. Consumers will take note and its something hard pressed customers of that bank may wish to reflect on when they next pay their bank charges. Perhaps Standard will give them a free copy of the Platter wine label guide, for they own that puppy too and sales are unlikely to be sparkling this year as results leak all over the blog-o-sphere.
We showcased all our entries to consumers at the Pendock Wine Gallery @ Taj as we do every week and I’ve jollied up this blog post with photos taken last night. We had a couple of restaurant owners (Cape Town and Hemel en Aarde, above), a couple of winemakers, some retailers and even and some visitors who braved the rain and drove in from the Swartland.
Chenin producers should ask themselves which strategy will sell more wine? Focusing on consumers or feeding the gravy train foie gras, supporting under-worked UK wine anoraks and luxury hotels in Stellenbosch. After all, the best thing about Chenin is it beats the pants off Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc in the V Department: versatility and value for money. Is the Chenin Blanc Association leading its members into the wilderness?
