Paul J

9.4

Needs more age and was served too cold. Still great, but not as good as it should be. — a month ago

with Brooke

Matt Schwartz

9.0

High acidity and light bodied with bright red fruit flavors — 2 months ago

David White

9.3

See earlier notes — 3 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.0

Lubanzi – Chenin Blanc – 2024
Swartland WO – Western Cape – South Africa 🇿🇦

Overview
An expressive and highly approachable Chenin Blanc from Swartland that captures the region’s signature balance of freshness and texture. Crafted in a clean, dry style, this wine delivers authenticity and character at an incredibly accessible price point, making it a standout for everyday drinking.

Aromas & Flavors
Bright citrus, green apple, and pear lead the profile, followed by hints of stone fruit, light honeyed notes, and a subtle savory edge. A touch of minerality and gentle herbal nuance adds depth without complicating the experience.

Mouthfeel
Light- to medium-bodied with vibrant, uplifting acidity. Crisp, dry, and clean with a refreshing, energetic finish that keeps the wine lively and food-friendly.

Food Pairings
Grilled chicken, seafood, fresh salads, sushi, or light vegetable dishes. Also shines as a refreshing standalone sipper.

Verdict
A beautifully executed, no-fuss Chenin Blanc that delivers freshness, balance, and typicity. It overdelivers for the price and fits perfectly into a casual daily rotation without sacrificing quality.

Did You Know?
Swartland has become one of South Africa’s most exciting regions for Chenin Blanc, known for dry-farmed bush vines and wines that emphasize purity, texture, and natural freshness.

🍷 Personal Pick
A reliable daily white that punches above its weight, clean, refreshing, and unmistakably Chenin. One of those bottles you grab without thinking… and never regret. — 4 months ago

Louis Martin

9.1

Light fruity aroma, dark red, medium body, dry and succulent, dark fruit flavor, paired nicely with venison. — 6 months ago

Charlie Elliott

9.1

No harm in that — 7 months ago

shaun house

9.3

Good with food. — 7 months ago

with Nadine

David Peifer

8.9

Dark berries. Made a nice sauce with short ribs. — a month ago

Mary H

9.3

An explosion of apricot flavor. Round and smooth, heavy weight, with sufficient but not overt acidity. A beautiful sweet wine. — a month ago

Barny

9.4

Wine 1500 🙈 ; opened for World Cup starting 2026 Mexico and South Africa; The cork popped off…; but still managed to get the fine juice out 😉; Vintage 2006, just like the „Summer Fairy Tale“ of the World Cup in Germany; and the wine leaves you wanting more „mehr Lust“, beautifully aged, fine fruit 😋 Wishing everyone a wonderful and peaceful World Cup — 2 months ago

Day Watson

10

Fruit forward, medium bodied, some acid, spice, a splash of tannin. Well rounded! So worth your time. — 5 months ago

Ana Bumgardner

9.0

3/19/26 - Boma African buffet - 2025 vintage - really solid chard — 5 months ago

Freddy R. Troya

9.2

Raats — Original Chenin Blanc 2023
Stellenbosch, South Africa 🇿🇦

Overview
An approachable, unoaked Chenin Blanc from Stellenbosch, delivering expressive aromatics, bright natural acidity, and effortless drinkability. Crafted in a clean, purity-driven style, this wine highlights Chenin’s fruit clarity and freshness rather than oak influence, making it an easygoing yet polished crowd pleaser.

Aromas & Flavors
Fresh melon, ripe pear, subtle citrus peel, and gentle tropical notes lead the nose. On the palate, juicy stone fruit and honeydew glide alongside light floral tones, finishing with clean citrus lift and refreshing clarity.

Mouthfeel
Light-to-medium bodied, supple, and silky with crisp acidity keeping everything lively and balanced. Smooth texture without weight or heaviness, making it dangerously easy to enjoy by the glass.

Food Pairings
Grilled chicken or shrimp skewers. Fresh salads with citrus vinaigrette. Sushi or ceviche. Soft cheeses and light antipasti. Perfect as an aperitif.

Verdict
A joyful, highly drinkable Chenin Blanc that delivers aromatic charm, freshness, and balance without trying to overcomplicate things. A reliable crowd favorite that showcases why South Africa continues to shine with Chenin.

Did You Know?
South Africa is the world’s largest producer of Chenin Blanc, where the grape is historically known as Steen. It thrives in the Cape’s sunshine and cooling maritime influences, allowing producers like Raats to craft styles ranging from crisp and approachable to world-class age-worthy bottlings.

🍷 Personal Pick
This is pure “easy pleasure” wine, aromatic, refreshing, and endlessly drinkable. Perfect for casual gatherings, warm afternoons, and effortless sipping when you want quality without overthinking the glass. — 7 months ago

Mark S.

9.0

Deep cherry red with violet. Black pepper. Blueberry blackberry leather nutmeg clove
Fruitiness M+ Sweetness M Acidity M Tannin M+ Soft Bitterness M Body M+ Finish M 14% Elegant but Concentrated Robust Mullineux Family Wines Swartland Syrah 23 @6160, AD, 251225 — 8 months ago

Stuart Pollack

9.7

I love Chenin Blanc. And South Africa is a master of Chenin Blanc. The FMC never disappoints. Vanilla a cream and passion fruit. Complex. — a month ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.5

I recently had a conversation with a few Joseph Phelps Ambassador’s at Pebble Beach Food & Wine in April. I said, I had every vintage of Insignia back to 2006 in storage. They said, “you should really drink up the 2006.” So, I coravined an 06 last weekend, a taste. I agreed then. But tonight not the case, it shows it still has a fair amount of life. Another 5-8 yrs and perhaps plus.

My Ribcap, a definition of Medium Rare Plus.

The nose reveals floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel, softly layered baking spices, very underrated graphite, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola.

The palate shows well resolved, rounded, velvety M+ tannins. Nicely ripe fruits that are floral; blackberries, black raspberries, both plums, poached strawberries, dark cherries and blue fruit notes. Melted dark chocolate, mocha, caramel river, softly layered baking spices-clove, nutmeg, cinnamon stick & vanillin, warm caramel, dark Asian spices with palate burrowing heat, dry tobacco/ leather, cedar, grilled meats, very underrated graphite, sweet tarriness, black licorice, steeped tea, mid berry cola, red licorice, limestone powder, dry top soil, dry twig, red, dark candied to slightly withering florals w/ liquid violet cola, candied to withering; dark, red, blue florals wrapped in liquid violets, epic rainfall acidity, well balanced-structured-toned, elegant finish that lasts minutes and falls on earth & heated spice.

95-96 peaking. — 22 days ago

Andrew Cullimore

9.8

Tasted blind. Medium deep garnet ruby and medium garnet ruby rim . Quite cool and restrained , again lots of grafite and mineral , dark fruits . This is quite deep and dark spicy cassis , blackberry and sea spray , saline . Quite dense and robust on the palate again , lots of fine but ripe tannins. Very long , dense , cassis , cedar grafite saline finish . This is a complete and great example of 2005 , great balance and enormous length , the longest of all on show here. Drinkable now , but surely it’s best days are in the future , wait another 5 -10 years , will last well a further 20 - 25 if not more . The apex of 2005 ? For me this had to be the Latour , and an archetypal example of Latour no less . 1st place and the gold medal . — 4 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.1

Vintage 2015 | dark colour, morello cherries, sweet smoked bell pepper, sweetness and elegance — 6 months ago

Donald Williams

9.3

We really enjoyed this. — 7 months ago

with Bonnie

John Howard

Harvest production at Hirsch and Cobb Wineries

9.2

Delish and interesting. — 7 months ago