(2024) Kleine Zalze is one of the bigger names in Stellenbosch, producing a whole range of Chenin Blanc wines, so if this is the one you want, check the label before buying. From 35-year-old bush vines in two vineyards, it had 24 hours skin contact then was pressed to a combination of older French oak barrels and terracotta amphora. The nose has plenty of ripe, vanilla-touched apple, but there's a stone-fruit, apricot and yellow plum deeper note too. In the mouth a generous texture has a bit of fat and weight giving good mouthfeel, the fruit stays this side of exotic, and the barrel adds nothing more than a whisper of creaminess. Quite long and rather satisfying Chenin. Watch my full video review for more details.

(2023) The Fairtrade certification assures you farm workers are treated well at Vergelegen’s estate, this Sauvignon Blanc from multiple carefully selected blocks, each parcel vinified separately before blending.  It's a very expressive wine, with hallmark elderflower thiols, yes, a little of that 'cat's pee on a gooseberry bush' character, and plenty of tropical, exotic fruit. In the mouth it continues its sensory journey, flooding the palate with both mango/nectarine fruit ripeness and a blast of citrus cut by grassiness to give a streaking grip and freshness to the finish. If the super-charged Sauvignon style appeals to you, this delivers in spades.  

(2023) South Africa's most planted white wine grape, Chenin Blanc, is being treated many different ways by the Cape's winemakers. In this case, barrel fermentation and ageing in French oak and fermentation with wild yeasts gives a rich, intense rendition of the variety. There is so much creamy, nutty, toasty oak, but alongside that are very ethereal floral and exotic notes, plus peachy fruit, giving a quite complex aromatic appeal. In the mouth the wine is powerful, with 14% alcohol, and a concentrated palate that is limey and intense, the nutty and buttery oak set against fruit and adequate acidity to balance. Watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas.

(2022) A very nicely done, Fairtrade accredited Chardonnay from Stellenbosch, aged eight months in French oak. It is really nicely pitched, the light custard and almond sheen of oak over creamy golden delicious fruit leads on to a palate that has medium-bodied texture, plenty of juicy orange fruit and citrus acidity, and enough toasty and creamy oak to add polish. There's a well-judged hint of flintiness too. Watch the video for more information.

(2021) South Africa's most famous exponent of Chenin Blanc, the Old Vine Reserve from Ken Forrester comes from vineyards planted in 1976, and is made in a nicely balanced style where partial barrel fermentation (20% new French oak) adds a lustre to the aromatics and palate, creaminess, light toast and almond over ripe and honeyed fruit. In the mouth there is an expansive texture, creaminess again, but pristine flavours of crisp apple melt into more sweet, tropical tones, before a vivid core of acidity powers the finish. Delicious stuff and versatile: watch the video for more information and food-matching ideas. On offer at £13.30 at time of review.

(2021) From vineyards in Stellenbosch, this is noticeably less green and pungent than the Sutherland bottling from Elgin. There is a touch of gooseberry and elderflower, but its more about nectarine and  grapefruit, the palate sweet with a lusciousness and mouthfilling texture and juicy stone fruit fleshiness. A nice touch of saltiness adds to the freshness of the finish in a stylish Sauvignon.

(2021) A very nicely pitched Sauvignon Blanc this, with a touch of pea shoot and asparagus pungency, but not too much, with fruit too, hinting at the tropical. In the mouth that edge of grassiness keeps it fresh, as does plenty of cool citrus and apple acidity to given it a dry finish, but through the mid-palate there are more nuances of that tropical mango and pineapple to give it plenty of charm and appeal.

(2019) Unwooded, fresh style. Lightly spicy but ripe tropical and juicy apple fruit. There's lovely tropical ripeness to the fruit but it's juicy fresh with good balance and a touch of counter-balancing bitterness.

(2019) Lightly wooded, but from old barrels. Big floral and pear fruit nose, moving into estery banana and pineapple. Full and limpid palate, very rich and the alcohol makes it a little heady. A stylistic choice for a more opulent expression of Viognier.

(2019) Made very simply - "crush, press, ferment," says Murray, then aged on lees for three months. Gooseberry and a touch of flint and elderflower, an attractive green-tinged fruit profile. The palate has a light smoke and earthy quality, good texture, lots of crunchy apple and pear, streaking lemon acid is a really nice style.