In conjunction with Prescient, a multinational financial services provider, Winemag.co.za is pleased to present the seventh annual Chardonnay Report.

When Chardonnay is at its best, it’s arguably the grape responsible for the greatest dry white wine in the world, whatever lovers of Riesling might like to think. It has a universal following and is by far the best selling wine in the United States. There is also a well-established frame of reference when it comes to discussion of style and quality. While the traditional home of the variety is Burgundy in the northeast of France, where it has been grown for centuries, benchmark examples occur around the world especially from Australia and California, USA.

In South Africa, serious attempts at growing the grape date to the early 1980s. The variety is currently the seventh most planted making up just over 7% of the national vineyard. All of the above makes the South African wine industry’s efforts regarding Chardonnay, worthy of scrutiny.

There were 91 wines in the line-up, these judged blind, labels out of sight. 42 wines were rated 90 or higher on the 100-point quality scale and these were recognised during an event held at The Stack, Leinster Hall in Cape Town on Wednesday, 18 October.

The top wines were as follows:

95 Delaire Graff Banghoek Reserve 2016 Price: R200

Eikendal 2016 Price: R163

Rustenberg Stellenbosch 2016 Price: R175

94 Dabar 2016 Price: R97

93 Evidence 2016 (Sophie & Julien Schaal) Price: R250

Hartenberg The Eleanor 2015 Price: R325

93 Holden Manz Barrel Fermented 2016 Price: R225

Longridge Organic 2015 Price: R165

Paul Cluver Seven Flags 2016 Price: R550

Tokara Reserve Collection Stellenbosch 2016 Price: R180

Uva Mira 2016 Price: TBC

92 Delaire Graff Terraced Block Reserve 2015 Price: R650

GlenWood Vigneron’s Selection 2016 Price: R240

La Motte 2016 Price: R120

Lourensford The Dome 2015 Price: R110

Neil Ellis Whitehall 2016 Price: R225

Stellenrust Barrel Fermented 2016 Price: R150

Thelema 2015 Price: R145

Uva Mira The Mira 2016 Price: R195

91 Bartinney Hourglass 2016 Price: R620

91 Edgebaston 2016 (Finlayson Family Wines) Price: R95

Hartenberg 2015 Price: R115

Jordan Barrel Fermented 2016 Price: R160

Journey’s End 2016 Price: R150

Stellenbosch Vineyards Credo 2016 Price: R149

Julien Schaal Mountain Vineyards 2016 Price: R175

90 Bergsig Barrel Fermented 2016 Price: R89

DeMorgenzon Reserve 2016 Price: R350

Domaine des Dieux 2012 Price: R200

Dombeya 2015 (Haskell Vineyards) Price: R115

Glen Carlou 2016 Price: R108

Hamilton Russell Vineyards 2016 Price: R395

Haute Cabrière Reserve 2016 Price: R190

KWV Cathedral Cellars 2016 Price: R90

La Bri 2016 Price: R130

90 Lanzerac Limited Release Mrs English 2016 Price: R450

Longridge Organic 2016 Price: R165

Môreson Dr Reason Why Unwooded 2016 Price: R125

Oak Valley Beneath The Clouds 2016 Price: R110

Oak Valley Groenlandberg 2016 Price: R190

Rickety Bridge 2016 Price: R120

Rustenberg Five Soldiers 2015 Price: R400

To read the report in full, go to Winemag.co.za. Join the conversation and follow the action on twitter #PrescientChard

Winemag.co.za, in conjunction with Prescient are hosting a Cape Town Public Tasting event on 25 October, to showcase the top-rated Chardonnays for 2017. Details & tickets are available online.