The Best Rated Chardonnays in South Africa for 2017

In conjunction with Prescient, a multinational financial services provider, Winemag.co.za is pleased to present the seventh annual Chardonnay Report.

When Chardonnay is at its best, it’s arguably the grape responsible for the greatest dry white wine in the world, whatever lovers of Riesling might like to think. It has a universal following and is by far the best selling wine in the United States. There is also a well-established frame of reference when it comes to discussion of style and quality. While the traditional home of the variety is Burgundy in the northeast of France, where it has been grown for centuries, benchmark examples occur around the world especially from Australia and California, USA.

In South Africa, serious attempts at growing the grape date to the early 1980s. The variety is currently the seventh most planted making up just over 7% of the national vineyard. All of the above makes the South African wine industry’s efforts regarding Chardonnay, worthy of scrutiny.

There were 91 wines in the line-up, these judged blind, labels out of sight. 42 wines were rated 90 or higher on the 100-point quality scale and these were recognised during an event held at The Stack, Leinster Hall in Cape Town on Wednesday, 18 October.

The top wines were as follows:

95
Delaire Graff Banghoek Reserve 2016
Price: R200

Eikendal 2016
Price: R163

Rustenberg Stellenbosch 2016
Price: R175

94
Dabar 2016
Price: R97

93
Evidence 2016 (Sophie & Julien Schaal)
Price: R250

Hartenberg The Eleanor 2015
Price: R325

93
Holden Manz Barrel Fermented 2016
Price: R225

Longridge Organic 2015
Price: R165

Paul Cluver Seven Flags 2016
Price: R550

Tokara Reserve Collection Stellenbosch 2016
Price: R180

Uva Mira 2016
Price: TBC

92
Delaire Graff Terraced Block Reserve 2015
Price: R650

GlenWood Vigneron’s Selection 2016
Price: R240

La Motte 2016
Price: R120

Lourensford The Dome 2015
Price: R110

Neil Ellis Whitehall 2016
Price: R225

Stellenrust Barrel Fermented 2016
Price: R150

Thelema 2015
Price: R145

Uva Mira The Mira 2016
Price: R195

91
Bartinney Hourglass 2016
Price: R620

91
Edgebaston 2016 (Finlayson Family Wines)
Price: R95

Hartenberg 2015
Price: R115

Jordan Barrel Fermented 2016
Price: R160

Journey’s End 2016
Price: R150

Stellenbosch Vineyards Credo 2016
Price: R149

Julien Schaal Mountain Vineyards 2016
Price: R175

90
Bergsig Barrel Fermented 2016
Price: R89

DeMorgenzon Reserve 2016
Price: R350

Domaine des Dieux 2012
Price: R200

Dombeya 2015 (Haskell Vineyards)
Price: R115

Glen Carlou 2016
Price: R108

Hamilton Russell Vineyards 2016
Price: R395

Haute Cabrière Reserve 2016
Price: R190

KWV Cathedral Cellars 2016
Price: R90

La Bri 2016
Price: R130

90
Lanzerac Limited Release Mrs English 2016
Price: R450

Longridge Organic 2016
Price: R165

Môreson Dr Reason Why Unwooded 2016
Price: R125

Oak Valley Beneath The Clouds 2016
Price: R110

Oak Valley Groenlandberg 2016
Price: R190

Rickety Bridge 2016
Price: R120

Rustenberg Five Soldiers 2015
Price: R400

To read the report in full, go to Winemag.co.za.
Join the conversation and follow the action on twitter #PrescientChard

Winemag.co.za, in conjunction with Prescient are hosting a Cape Town Public Tasting event on 25 October, to showcase the top-rated Chardonnays for 2017. Details & tickets are available online.