Winemag.co.za is pleased to present the second annual Cape White Blend Report – in order to be eligible, wines had to contain a Chenin Blanc component of more than 15% and less than 85%.

Why insist on Chenin Blanc as a component? It’s what makes such wines particularly, if not uniquely, of this country. If we were to make Chenin Blanc non-compulsory then producers forfeit a significant point of difference relative to wines from elsewhere in the world – with approximately 18 000 ha of Chenin in the ground, it’s our most planted variety and we should find ways to celebrate it.

There were 38 wines in the line-up, these judged blind, labels out of sight. 22 wines were rated 90 or higher on the 100-point quality scale and these were recognised during an event held at Fairview in Paarl on Wednesday, 15 November.

95 Keermont Terrasse 2015 Price: R160

94 Lammershoek Terravinum Reserve White 2016 Price: R185

Solms Delta Amalie 2015 Price: R180

93 Cavalli Cremello 2015 Price: R135

Lammershoek The Innocent White Blend 2015 Price: R88

Olifantsberg Blanc 2016 Price: R165

Painted Wolf Peloton Blanc 2016 Price: R100

92 Fairview Nurok 2016 Price: R170

Muratie Laurens Campher 2016 Price: R135

91 Bergsig Icarus 2016 Price: R180

Blake’s Family Wines Tourmaline 2016 Price: R120

Darling Cellars Lime Kilns 2016 Price: R100

Eerste Hoop Lodewijk X 2017 Price: R240

Miles Mossop Saskia 2014 Price: R257

Sijnn White 2016 Price: R180

90 Bosman Family Vineyards Adama 2016 Price: R150

B Vintners Haarlem to Hope 2016 Price: R185

Leipzig White Leipzig 2017 Price: R110

Marvelous Yellow 2015 Price: R90

Rascallion Vinyl Collection 33 1/3 RPM 2017 Price: R118

Vrede en Lust Artisan Range Chenin Blanc Semillon 2016 Price: R129

Zevenwacht The Tin Mine White 2016 Price: R79

To read the report in full, go to http://winemag.co.za/cape-white-blend-report-2017-results/. Join the conversation and follow the action on twitter #CapeWhiteReport