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. — a month ago

Ana Bumgardner

9.0

3/19/26 - Boma African buffet - 2025 vintage - really solid chard — 2 months ago

David White

9.3

Forrester’s Mighty Chenin
Excellent nose and palate of citrus lemon limes melons and long lasting flavours. One of the best Cape Chenin’s over the years.
Top stuff — 3 months ago

Hermes Cuello

9.1

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2015 is a legendary South African natural sweet wine, crafted from Muscat de Frontignan. Rich and opulent, it offers layers of honey, apricot, orange peel, and exotic spice, balanced by vibrant acidity. Lusciously sweet yet fresh and elegant, with a long, refined finish. — 2 months ago

Day Watson

10

Fruit forward, medium bodied, some acid, spice, a splash of tannin. Well rounded! So worth your time. — 2 months ago

Peter van den Besselaar

9.1

Vintage 2015 | dark colour, morello cherries, sweet smoked bell pepper, sweetness and elegance — 3 months ago

Louis Martin

9.1

Light fruity aroma, dark red, medium body, dry and succulent, dark fruit flavor, paired nicely with venison. — 3 months ago

David White

9.3

Classic well structured Cab Sauvignon at 7 years entering the twilight zone- clean and expressive flavours of cedar tobacco and pencil shavings and earthy traits . This seems to be developing better than 2018 which I must try again for comparison. — 2 months 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 . — a month ago

Ashley Revay

10

Lovely complex Pinot while celebrating bean’s birthday! — 3 months ago