Cape Town - Wines from the Stellenbosch district dominated the 2014 Christian Eedes Chardonnay Report – with seven out of the Top 10 hailing from this region.
Wine critic Eedes revealed his fourth report - produced in conjunction with Sanlam Private Wealth - at Thornton Whites on the Foreshore in Cape Town on Friday.
The report aims to celebrate the top-end of what Eedes has described as "the wine with a universal following – arguably the best dry white wine in the world’.
“After four years, the question has to be asked: Are we any closer to mapping South Africa’s best terroir for Chardonnay?,” is a key point of debate in the report.
Traditionally, the Elgin district and the wards of Hemel-en-Aarde are well-known for being Chardonnay country so Stellenbosch’s dominance this year was an interesting development.
A total of 60 wines were tasted and judged by a panel led by Eedes and including renowned tasters Roland Peens and James Pietersen from Wine Cellar.
The Chardonnay Report also aims to establish a recognised benchmark for the fourth most planted white variety in South Africa.
Four of the producers with wines in this year’s top 10 have achieved success consistently – Uva Mira, Hartenberg, Haskell Anvil and Paul Cluver – indicating that a benchmark is now being set by these leading producers.
The Christian Eedes Top Ten Chardonnay wines for 2014 are:
Five stars
- Hartenberg The Eleanor 2012;
- Uva Mira 2013.
Four and a half stars:
- Chamonix Reserve 2013;
- Eikendal 2013;
- Grand Vin de Glenelly 2013;
- Haskell Anvil 2012;
- Longridge 2013;
- Newton Johnson Southend 2013;
- Paul Cluver 2013;
- Stellenrust Barrel Fermented 2013.
- Fin24