White Wine of the Year 2024

April 18, 2024Andrea Palamarcukova

58 Barrel Fermented

Chenin Blanc by Stellenrust

The grandfather and founder of Stellenrust firmly believed that winemaking was an art. He used to say: "The passion for wine should pulse through your veins. You are born a Da Vinci – you cannot be made into a Da Vinci!"

The same philosophy still shapes viticulture and winemaking at Stellenrust. Managing partners Kobie van der Westhuizen and Tertius Boshoff initially had the opportunity to study other fields before deciding to follow their artistic passion for the "drink of the gods." Kobie, a trained accountant, and Tertius, a doctor and dentist, joined the family business in 2005, embarking on a journey of growth and discovery of a centuries-old wine brand, its deep-rooted vines, and its people.

KapWeine CEO Andy Zimmermann provides insights

What is behind the "KapWeine Wine of the Year" award?

"Wine of the Year" is an exciting award we present annually at KapWeine. It allows us to honor outstanding wines and wineries and offer our customers first-class taste experiences at a unique preferential price. The "Wine of the Year" award highlights the quality and excellence in our range.

Why Stellenrust, precisely?

There are many reasons, perhaps the most important ones being very personal.
Firstly, there are the two wonderful people, the brothers, whom I first met about 10 years ago at a wine fair in Germany. It was love at first sight, although I had little idea back then! That the two would one day produce about 10 of the best Chenin Blanc wines in South Africa in every price category seemed a long way off at the time. Both are quiet, deep personalities. While Tertius can sometimes get louder, Kobie balances it out with his stoic calm. It is an honor for me to walk the South African path with them and to show with Stellenrust how quality, fairness, joy of life, hard work, and ultimately great wines and success can be brought together. Well done my boys!

As you already know, brothers Tertius Boshoff and Kobie van der Westhuizen took over their family's legacy in 2005, giving up their careers as a doctor and accountant. Despite a significant vineyard area of approximately 400 hectares, they had to struggle through the challenges of the financial system, which led to debt and a lot of hard work. They run the winery, which consists of three wine farms, in a very family-like manner. Both are exceptional people with whom I have already traveled a long and successful path.

From Swiss Airline Business Class listings to previous Wine of the Year promotions and charity bottlings, as well as Fairtrade wines, we have sold tens of thousands of bottles of fine Stellenrust wines in Switzerland over the years. Now these artists shine with their Artisons series, in which small quantities of single-vineyard wines are bottled. This series shows that Stellenrust can also compete and make its mark in the top segment.

A Dream of White Wine: The Chenin Blanc from Old Vines

Now to our winner. Not only Dr. Tertius Boshoff raves enthusiastically about the Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc. This wine comes from old Chenin Blanc vines in the Bottelary Hills and impresses with its magnificent concentration, ripe aromas, and a piquant, spicy freshness with an exciting finish. It is a South African white wine delicacy that you simply have to like. Made from 58-year-old vines, the grape juice rested for several days without the addition of enzymes before being transferred to selected barrels and left to natural fermentation. After 8 months of fermentation and 9 months of maturation in oak barrels (mainly French oak with a hint of Hungarian oak), a wine of exceptional quality and depth was created.

94 Points by Tim Atkin
5 Stars by Platter’s

Wine Description:
This wine presents itself as striking, complex, and structurally demanding. In the bouquet, notes of brioche, quince, and pear combine to form a harmonious overall picture. On the palate, it shows a creamy density and fullness, accompanied by a silky texture that meets the highest demands. The acidity structure is perfectly balanced and wonderfully complements the aromas of caramel, honey, and panna cotta. The woody nuances are subtle and contribute to the overall harmony. This wine presents itself as powerful and astonishing, showing remarkable complexity and a certain independence.

White Wine of the Year 2024 >6 Btls.
STELLENRUST
58 Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc – 2022
CHF 16.90 instead of CHF 29.00

Terroir

The grandfather once owned the entire valley along Blaauwklippen Road and beyond on the Helderberg, which today hosts many renowned wine producers. The list is endless: De Trafford, Keermont, Dornier, Waterford, Rust en Vrede, Alto, Ernie Els, Hidden Valley, etc., as well as Stellenrust. Before 2005, these lands were gradually sold, and land ownership was reduced to the current Stellenrust.
In the almost 400 hectares of vineyards surrounding the enchanting town of Stellenbosch, Stellenrust cultivates a unique terroir. From the decomposed granite of the Helderberg's Golden Triangle to the sandy loam soils of the maritime Bottelary Hills, a variety of soils extends, making each of their wines special. The winemakers see themselves not only as craftsmen but as intermediaries between the vines and the bottle. It is their mission to capture the essence of the soil and the soul of the vine in every single drop of wine they produce. Each site is carefully selected for the respective grape varieties and wines, and this diversity is reflected in the unique character of their wines.

Winemaker Tertius & CEO Kobie

They say you don't choose the wine; the wine chooses you. Kobie van der Westhuizen and Tertius Boshoff did their best to resist the pull of the vineyards, but at the family-owned Stellenrust, spreadsheets and dental probes were soon exchanged for pruning shears and barrels. Feeling the family's passion and heritage, Kobie and Tertius decided to follow their artistic inclination for the "drink of the gods."

Together, they apply their skills and knowledge to preserve the traditions of the winery while exploring new winemaking approaches. Their vision and commitment make each Stellenrust wine a unique expression of history, terroir, and the passion they pour into every bottle. Furthermore, a perfect wine is one that benefits everyone. It should not only bring pleasure to the wine lover but also enable the winemaker to make a living from their products. Workers should be able to earn a decent income from their labor. And finally, nature should also be treated with respect. These maxims form the foundation of the visionaries Dr. Tertius Boshoff, winemaker at Stellenrust Wine Estate, and Kobie, who serves as CEO of the winery. Their unwavering principle is to make Stellenrust Wine Estate in the South African wine region of Stellenbosch a model example of inclusive viticulture while achieving the best quality results. The idea behind inclusive viticulture is to have the smallest possible impact on the environment while preserving the traditions of the winery.

Stellenrust Winery

Stellenrust was awarded to Douwe Gerbrand Steyn in 1692. Steyn was instrumental in establishing the East Indian spice route. As a master stonemason, he not only oversaw the construction of the Castle of Good Hope but was also one of the first to plant vineyards and cultivate wine at the Cape. In 1928, he registered Stellenrust's trademark "finding peace in Stellenbosch." Even today, many generations later, Stellenrust is proud to be one of the largest family-owned wineries in South Africa, where the knowledge and skills of the winemakers are passed down from generation to generation. Every bottle reflects the heritage of their history and the motto "where excellence meets winemaking."

Stellenrust Wine Estate is part of one of the largest and most successful viticulture projects for the advancement of the black population in South Africa. Kobie van der Westhuizen harbored the dream of giving back as a landowner to the workers who had put years of hard work into building the farms to make them what they are today. The family provided 72 farmworkers with access to land they can now call home, to houses they can now call their own, and to a future they can now believe is possible. This project enabled the farms to achieve Fairtrade certification – an essential component of socio-economic sustainability for the people who work in the fields and make the wines.

WOY Promotion >6 Btls.
STELLENRUST
B28 Chenin Blanc – 2022
CHF 14.90 instead of CHF 19.90

WOY Promotion >6 Btls.
STELLENRUST
Timeless – 2020
CHF 19.90 instead of CHF 29.00

WOY Promotion >6 Btls.
STELLENRUST
Old Bush Chenin Blanc – 2022
CHF 19.90 instead of CHF 29.00

ArtiSons by Stellenrust

ArtiSons began as a creative playground for the family. Almost a decade after joining Stellenrust, it allowed them to create small, experimental batches from amazing sites and old vineyards as naturally and true to nature as possible. No room for narrow-mindedness, ArtiSons is about creating wines without boundaries.