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[title]Welcome to Mother Sippy, where we shine a light on the talented winemakers, brewers, distillers and mixologists that make sure the Mother City never goes thirsty! From new wine releases to taprooms pouring perfect pints, Mother Sippy is your guide to all that’s good and great in Cape Town’s world of drinks.
There’s little we don’t love about Chenin Blanc, and although its real home is in the Loire Valley in France, it’s happy news that South Africa is famous for producing some of the best Chenin in the world. It’s safe to say that the grape has become the flagship white varietal for South African wine.
In South Africa, Chenin Blanc has serious history: it was first planted here in the 17th century (locally it is also known as ‘Steen’), and today it’s not just the country’s most planted white grape; it’s the most planted grape of all, making up about 18 percent of the national vineyard. That’s why you’ll see it everywhere from crisp, stainless-steel ‘summer Chenin’ to barrel-fermented, age-worthy bottles from old vines. It’s also the base grape for the brandy industry!
South African Chenin’s premium reputation is partly thanks to Johan Jordaan, cellar master at Spier Wines, whose collection of Chenin Blancs from his Stellenbosch cellar has been pleasing palates across the globe. That diversity of flavour and deft touch in the cellar saw him named Master Chenin Blanc Winemaker for the second consecutive year at the Master Winemaker 100 announcement in Paris this week.
Master Winemaker 100 winners are drawn from medal performance in the Global Wine Masters competitions, which are judged blind by senior industry palates, so it’s all about what’s in the bottle, not the label’s reputation.
Jordaan certainly has deep roots in the Cape Winelands. He grew up on a grape farm near Rawsonville, studied winemaking at Elsenburg Agricultural College in Stellenbosch, then cut his teeth at Slanghoek before joining Spier in 2007 as a senior red winemaker. In 2021, he succeeded veteran cellarmaster Frans Smit in the top job, and since then he’s steered Spier’s Chenin programme to bring home plenty of silverware.
The accolade lands off the back of a standout run in the Global Wine Masters circuit, where Spier’s Chenins have been cleaning up. In the 2025 Global Chenin Blanc Masters, Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc 2023 took the Grand Master (top wine of the competition), while Spier Seaward Chenin Blanc 2024 earned a Master medal (one of only three that year).
Time Out Tip: Don't miss this guide to pocket-friendly Chenin Blancs!
“We plan the wine from the soil to the glass, marrying terroir with the style of wine we intend to make,” says Jordaan. “Central to our winemaking philosophy is soil regeneration, nurturing living, resilient soils that support vine health over the long term rather than pursuing short-term yields. This approach aligns with Spier’s broader commitment to farming practices that restore ecosystems, encourage biodiversity and allow vineyards to express their natural character.”
So what’s in the glass? What might surprise you is that little of the fruit for these award-winning wines comes from the Spier farm outside Stellenbosch. Instead, Jordaan cherry-picks the best vineyards from across the Cape to create the style he has in mind.
Fruit for the 21 Gables 2023 is sourced from old-vine single vineyards in the Tygerberg hills, where Atlantic breezes help keep ripening slow and balanced; it’s barrel-fermented and matured for close to a year in French oak. The Spier Seaward Chenin Blanc 2024 comes from a similar terroir, with dryland vineyards in the Tygerberg Hills (dryland means they are not irrigated and rely on rainfall).
As the wine industry gets more competitive than ever, we’ll raise a glass – of Chenin, naturally – to winemakers like Johan Jordaan flying the flag high for South African wine.