Badsberg Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2024

The Producer

Badsberg Wine Cellar has been making wine at the foot of the Badsberg mountains in the Breedekloof Wine Valley since 1951 — and when it comes to Chenin Blanc, they’re royalty. SA Champion Chenin Blanc at the Young Wine Show. Standard Bank Top 10 Chenin Blanc. Michelangelo Double Gold for the 2022 Barrel Fermented Chenin. And that’s before you get to the three General Smuts Trophies (SA Young Wine Show Overall Champion), the Absa Top 10 Pinotage, and the Platter’s White Wine of the Year for their Badslese. Cellarmaster Willie Burger (at the helm since 1998) and winemakers Henri Swiegers, Jaco Booysen and Cobus Kruger run one of the most decorated cellars in South Africa — and they do it at prices that make the Stellenbosch premium set look very expensive indeed. This is what happens when world-class winemaking meets Breedekloof value.

Vintage & Terroir

Breedekloof produces one-third of South Africa’s entire Chenin Blanc crop — this is ground zero for the variety. The deep alluvial soils of the valley, combined with a Mediterranean climate of warm dry summers and cool mountain-funnelled breezes, create ideal conditions for Chenin that’s both ripe and fresh. The 2024 vintage delivered exactly that: concentrated fruit with enough natural acidity to carry the barrel fermentation beautifully. Badsberg’s vineyards sit at the heart of the valley, with 75% white grapes and 25% red — a ratio that tells you where their real passion lies.

In the Cellar

This is not your straightforward stainless-steel Chenin. A portion is barrel fermented in a mix of French and American oak (10% new), which for the 2024 vintage represents a change in handling that Christine Rudman in the Platter Guide says is very much “to 2024’s advantage.” The oak adds layers of shortbread, honey and toasty richness while the fruit remains the star. It’s the kind of winemaking decision that comes from decades of experience — knowing exactly when to push and when to hold back.

Tasting Notes

Rich gold in the glass. The nose is inviting and complex — melon preserve, shortbread, wild honey and stone fruit, with a gentle toasty warmth from the barrel fermentation. On the palate, there’s generous richness and weight, but the fruit shines through clearly: ripe melon, baked apple, honeycomb and a hint of vanilla. Fresh acidity provides vibrancy and balance, lifting the finish and keeping everything in proportion. This is Chenin with ambition — textured, layered and seriously good.

Platter’s 4 Stars (89 Points) — Christine Rudman writes: “Portion barrel fermented, mix French & American, 10% new, a change in handling since last, to 2024’s advantage. Melon preserve & shortbread, wild honey, there’s richness but fruit’s still present, has enough acid to provide vibrancy.” From the cellar that won SA Champion Chenin Blanc and the Standard Bank Top 10 Chenin Blanc Challenge — and earned a Michelangelo Double Gold for the 2022 — this is a 4-star barrel-fermented Chenin at a price that most cellars can only dream of matching. The i-WineReview gave the 2016 vintage 89 points too — proof that the quality is consistent year after year.

Food Pairing

A dream with bobotie, creamy chicken curry, pan-fried kingklip with a lemon butter sauce, or a rich butternut and sage risotto. The barrel character also makes it a stunning partner for roast pork belly with crackling, smoked chicken, or a mature Gouda. For a lighter option, try it with a fresh pear and walnut salad with blue cheese crumbles. Serve at 10–12 °C. Drinking superbly now — open, pour and enjoy.

Technical Details

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