Steen to Queen: How South Africa’s Best Kept Secret Became a Global Superstar

Every now and then, a story comes along in the world of wine that’s just too good not to share.

It’s a story of transformation, of a hidden gem polished to perfection, of an underdog rising to claim its crown. 

For us at Vinty, this isn’t just a story; it’s the very essence of what we do. It’s about finding those incredible, unheralded wines and bringing them into the spotlight for our tribe.

And right now, the greatest story in wine is about a grape that we South Africans have known and loved for centuries. A grape we called Steen.

Today, the world knows it as Chenin Blanc. And as a recent article in the prestigious Wine Enthusiast declared, “Chenin Blanc is trending“.

But for us, this isn’t a trend. It’s a homecoming. It’s the world finally catching up to a truth we’ve held dear for generations: South Africa is the global home of world-class Chenin Blanc.

This is the story of how our humble Steen became a global queen, and why its revival is the most exciting thing happening in wine today.

The Workhorse: A Humble Beginning

To truly appreciate the meteoric rise of South African Chenin Blanc, we have to travel back in time. Way back. The grape was one of the very first vine cuttings planted near Cape Town in 1655 by the Dutch East India Company. For centuries, it quietly formed the backbone of our wine industry. It was so ubiquitous, so fundamentally part of our terroir, that we didn’t even call it by its French name. It was just ‘Steen’—a simple, sturdy, everyday grape.

For much of the 20th century, that’s exactly how it was treated. The Wine Enthusiast article notes a critical part of our history:

“In the 1970s and 80s, Chenin Blanc vines were often over-planted and intensively farmed with chemical applications, leading to large quantities of low-quality grapes…frequently used as a base for brandy distillation.”

It was the reliable workhorse. The industry’s best-kept secret was hiding in plain sight, its potential masked by its sheer volume. In a fascinating twist of history, it wasn’t until the 1960s that viticulturists officially identified our Steen as the noble Chenin Blanc of France’s Loire Valley. The revelation was monumental, yet it would take another three decades for the revolution to truly begin.

The Renaissance: From Brandy to Brilliance

The end of Apartheid in the mid-1990s was the catalyst. As South Africa opened up to the world, so did our wine industry. A new generation of winemakers, filled with passion and a pioneering spirit, looked at these old Steen vines not as a source for bulk wine or brandy, but as a national treasure. They saw the gnarled, deep-rooted old vines and recognised their potential for producing wines of incredible complexity, character, and age-worthiness.

They began to farm with respect, lowering yields and focusing on quality over quantity. They experimented with wild ferments, concrete eggs, and old oak, allowing the true voice of the terroir to speak through the grape.

The world started to take notice. South Africa, it turned out, wasn’t just a place for Chenin Blanc; it was the place. Today, we have more Chenin Blanc planted than any other country on earth—a staggering 40,000 acres, which makes up nearly a fifth of our total vineyard area. As the Wine Enthusiast points out, it is “the dominant grape variety in South Africa.”

From the sun-drenched plains of the Swartland to the cool, coastal breezes of Stellenbosch, our winemakers are crafting Chenin Blanc in a breathtaking array of styles. It’s a grape of unparalleled versatility—from crisp, zesty, and refreshing to rich, honeyed, and complex. It can be bone-dry, lusciously sweet, or transformed into world-class sparkling wine. No other grape can wear so many hats with such style and grace.

Tasting the Revolution: Chenin Blanc in Your Glass

A Vinty Curation

This story of transformation is precisely what excites us at Vinty. It’s the core of our mission: to cut through the noise and bring you wines of exceptional quality and incredible value. We hunt for the gems that tell a story, and right now, there is no better story than South African Chenin Blanc.

Our Lekker Labels series is a celebration of this incredible grape, showcasing the diverse personalities of Chenin from different corners of the Cape.

Take the Steenkamp Ou Bosstok Steen 2023, for example. The name itself is a proud nod to our heritage. This wine, crafted from old bush vines, is a testament to the concentration and complexity that these venerable vineyards can produce. It’s a wine that speaks of place, with layers of ripe stone fruit, hints of honey, and a vibrant acidity that keeps it beautifully balanced. It’s the kind of wine that makes you understand why winemakers fought to save these old vines.

Then there’s the Diemersfontein Chenin Blanc 2024. Crisp, fresh, and bursting with green apple, guava, and citrus notes, this is the perfect expression of modern, unwooded Chenin. It’s your quintessential summer sipper, a wine that’s as at home on the patio as it is at the dinner table. It’s proof that Chenin doesn’t need to be complex to be utterly delicious.

For those who love a wine with a bit more texture and depth, the Opstal Chenin Blanc 2024 is a must-try. Hailing from the windswept Slanghoek Valley, this wine showcases Chenin’s ability to balance fruit purity with a lovely textural richness. It’s a wine that invites you back for another sip, revealing new layers with every glass.

And we can’t forget the Pilgrim Chenin Blanc 2022. This is a wine that beautifully captures the soul of the grape. It’s a journey in a glass, a wine that evolves and tells a story as it opens up. It represents the passion and dedication of the new wave of South African winemakers who are pushing the boundaries of what Chenin can be.

The Art of the Blend: Chenin as a Team Player

While Chenin Blanc is undoubtedly a superstar in its own right, its versatility extends to its role as a team player in some of South Africa’s most exciting white blends. Its brilliant acidity and solid fruit core provide the perfect backbone for other, more aromatic varieties.

A fantastic example is our Forager White Blend 2024. Here, Chenin lays the foundation, providing structure and freshness, while other varieties add layers of aromatic complexity. It’s a masterclass in the art of blending, creating a wine that is greater than the sum of its parts—harmonious, intriguing, and utterly delicious.

And for those in our XCellar tribe, you’ll know the magic of Chenin in a premium blend like the City by Dawn White Blend 2021. This is where Chenin truly shines, contributing to a wine of immense complexity, elegance, and age-worthiness. It’s a reminder that our humble Steen can stand alongside the world’s greatest white grapes.

The Next Chapter: A Vinty Exclusive

The Chenin Blanc story is far from over. In fact, the next chapter is just about to be written, and we at Vinty are thrilled to give our tribe an exclusive sneak peek.

The West Coast of South Africa is one of the country’s last untamed wine frontiers. With its cool Atlantic breezes, ancient soils, and rugged landscapes, it’s a place where vines have to struggle to survive. And it’s in that struggle that true character is born.

We’ve been working with a producer on the West Coast, a place where Chenin Blanc vines look out over the ocean. The 2025 vintage was exceptional, and we have secured the entire harvest of this incredible fruit.

In the coming months, we will be launching the West Coast Chenin 2025 as an XCellar Limited Edition. This is not just a wine; it’s a story in a bottle. It’s a testament to the pioneering spirit of South African winemaking and a celebration of Chenin Blanc’s bright future. Expect a wine of incredible purity, with saline minerality, bright citrus notes, and a texture that speaks of its coastal origins. It will be a Vinty exclusive, a wine you simply won’t find anywhere else. Stay tuned.

A Hero’s Welcome

From the overlooked workhorse of the industry to the celebrated hero of the New World, Chenin Blanc’s journey is a reflection of South Africa’s own story. It’s a story of resilience, transformation, and the rediscovery of our roots.

When a publication like Wine Enthusiast recognises that South Africa is leading this global charge, it’s a proud moment for all of us. But for the Vinty tribe, it’s also a validation. It confirms what we’ve always believed: that the best wines aren’t always the ones with the flashiest labels or the biggest marketing budgets. They are the ones with the best stories.

So next time you pour a glass of South African Chenin Blanc, take a moment to savour its journey. You’re not just drinking a delicious white wine. You’re tasting a revolution. You’re tasting the incredible story of how our Steen became a queen. And the best part? Her reign has only just begun.