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Spier ranked among best Chenin Blanc in the world

03 September 2024 By Michael Huband

Stellenbosch wine producer Spier achieved the rare feat of two Master medals for its Chenin Blanc in a single blind tasting.

Spier is celebrating in Stellenbosch after its wines achieved top scores in The Global Chenin Blanc Masters 2024. The estate, now in its fourth century of operations, won two Master medals (the top accolade) among just five handed out at the competition, admitting to a very select group of producers to have ‘done the double’ in a single competition.

The two Master medals recognised 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2022 and Good Natured Chenin Blanc 2023. Spier’s third wine in the competition, Spier Seaward Chenin Blanc 2023, secured a Silver medal.

“It’s wonderful to see our passion for Chenin Blanc and our belief in its potential resonating with wine lovers and critics,” said cellar master Johan Jordaan, reacting to the win.

Representing the company

Each Master medallist cuvée, serendipitously, represents a different facet of the company’s work. 21 Gables references the producer’s distinguished history, both in name and winemaking, while its Good Natured Chenin Blanc takes its name from Spier’s approach to sustainability.

Across the vineyard buildings, characteristic Cape Dutch gables are a recurring theme, and together give the name to the 21 gables range. Some of them date to the 18th Century, built early in Spier’s history. The farm became a formal estate in 1692 and by 1754 Spier grew 30,000 vines. Although not bottled under the Spier label until 1971, it had long had a reputation for quality viticulture.

However, 21 Gables also has a direct connection to Spier’s heritage, as it uses old vines in its production. The plants are dry-farmed and the oldest parcel is 39-years-old. Jordaan particularly prizes the plot, with previous cellar master Frans Smit saving it from being uprooted.

The Good Natured range, on the other hand, is emblematic of Spier’s sustainability drive and, in particular, its move towards regenerative viticulture. The wine’s fruit is from organically farmed vineyards, involving no synthetic pesticides, herbicides, and fertilisers.

This is one element of Spier’s ‘Growing for Good’ programme, which places regenerative business at the heart of its operations. Alongside social initiatives, such as a community farm, and emission-reducing technology such as solar panels, the programme has given a particular focus to regenerative farming.

Both Spier’s vineyards and its other farms are managed with the aim of rejuvenating the soils. Through organic composts and biodiverse ecological corridors, it creates a thriving ecosystem across Spier’s properties. With plants, animals and microbes all in balance, the reward is both a healthier, more resilient soil and a higher quality crop

World-class wines

Of course, Spier’s medal-winning wines were judged blind at the Global Chenin Blanc Masters, and so the judges did not know this context. Instead, they were judging purely on the quality in the glass.

The panel of judges, including five Masters of Wine, awarded the highest available medal to the two wines. According to the rigorous criteria, a Master medallist is ‘an outstanding example of its type, showing impeccable winemaking’ and ‘delights for its wonderful texture, perfect balance and broad range of delicious, persistent flavours’. The 2024 competition, part of a year-long programme of blind tasting, featured wines from five continents, with famous regions such as the Loire, California and Mendoza.

The recognition of Spier’s quality is a vindication for the team, who dedicate themselves to the demanding grape. It is particularly significant for Jordaan, who has spent 17 years at the company and assumed the role of cellar master in 2021, just before the decorated vintages.

“Chenin Blanc is a wine built in layers,” he says. “While it’s a winemaker’s dream to work with, it also demands a hands-on approach. Seeing our Chenins consistently recognised on the global stage is a testament to the dedication of our entire team. These awards reaffirm our commitment to crafting exceptional Chenin Blancs that truly express the unique character of our land and our approach to winemaking.”

Patricia Stefanowicz MW provides her tasting notes for the two wines below.

Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2022

Producer: Spier Wine Farm
Region: Cape Town
Country: South Africa
Grape variety: 100% Chenin Blanc,
ABV: 14.5%,
Approx. retail price: £25
Medal: Master

The 39-year-old, dry-farmed vines used for this wine were very nearly lost, with previous cellar master Frans Smit rescuing them from obscurity and uprooting. Pale gold-hued, the wine displays golden apple, guava and peach flavours, with smoky wood and honey notes. Dry, midweight, the rich palate is balanced by zesty acidity and a hint of astringency, giving a little added grip and leading to a savoury finish. The wine would be a good match for seared swordfish steaks.

Spier Good Natured Organic Chenin Blanc 2023

Producer: Spier Wine Farm
Region: Coastal Region
Country: South Africa
Grape variety: 100% Chenin Blanc
ABV: 12.5%
Approx. retail price: £12
Medal: Master

From its late 17th-century Cape beginnings, Spier has embraced sustainability as its mantra in the 21st century. From carefully tended, bio-diverse vineyards comes this fabulous ‘Good-Natured’ Organic Chenin Blanc. The wine shows a pale, lemon-yellow hue and pineapple, lemon zest and custard aromatics, with hints of flat-leaf parsley and forest honey. The elegant, light-bodied palate is linear, well-defined and intensely flavoured, framed by bracing acidity and a hint of creamy lees. The lingering finish has a touch of astringency, adding grip and texture. No hurry: the wine will develop and improve. A recommended match is poached salmon with cucumber and sweet red pepper aspic.

All the medallists from the Global Sauvignon Blanc Masters 2024

Is South Africa due an organic wine revolution?