White Wine of the Year 2024

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 pulsate through your veins. You are born a Da Vinci – you can’t be made a Da Vinci!» 

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

KapWeine CEO Andy Zimmermann gives insights

What is behind the award «KapWeine Wine of the Year»?

«Wine of the Year»is an exciting award that we present annually at KapWeine. It enables us to recognize outstanding wines and wineries and offer our customers first-class taste experiences at a unique special price. The «Wine of the Year» award underlines the quality and excellence in our range.

Why exactly Stellenrust?

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

As you already know, the brothers Tertius Boshoff and Kobie van der Westhuizen took up their family’s legacy in 2005 and gave up their careers as a doctor and accountant. Despite a substantial vineyard area of around 400 hectares, they had to fight their way 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, very much as a family. 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 Stellenrust’s fine wines in Switzerland over the years. Now these artists are shining with their Artisons series, in which small quantities of single-vineyard wines are bottled. This series shows that Stellenrust can also hold its own and set accents in the top range.

A dream of a white wine: Chenin Blanc from old vines

Now to our winner. Dr. Tertius Boshoff is not the only one to rave about the Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc. This comes from old Chenin Blanc vines in the Bottelary Hills and impresses with its wonderful concentration, ripe aromas and a crisp, 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 ferment naturally. After 8 months of fermentation and 9 months of ageing in oak barrels (mainly French oak with a touch 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 is distinctive, complex and structurally sophisticated. The bouquet combines notes of brioche, quince and pear to create a harmonious overall picture. On the palate, it has a creamy density and richness, accompanied by a silky texture that meets the highest standards. The acidity 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 is powerful and astonishing, showing remarkable complexity and a certain distinctiveness.

Terroir

The grandfather once owned the entire valley along the Blaauwklippen Road and beyond on the Helderberg, which is now home to many renowned wine producers. The list goes on and on: De Trafford, Keermont, Dornier, Waterford, Rust en Vrede, Alto, Ernie Els, Hidden Valley etc. as well as Stellenrust. Before 2005, these estates were gradually sold off and the land holdings were reduced to the Stellenrust of today.
In the almost 400 hectares of vineyards around 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, there is a variety of soils that make each of their wines something special. The winemakers see themselves not only as craftsmen, but also as mediators 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 its grape varieties and wines, and this diversity is reflected in the unique characteristics of their wines.

Winemaker Tertius & CEO Kobie

They say that 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 Stellenrust family business, spreadsheets and sickle probes were soon replaced by scissors and barrels. Sensing the passion and heritage of the family, Kobie and Tertius decided to follow their artistic streak for the «drink of the gods».

Together, they use their skills and knowledge to preserve the traditions of the winery while exploring new ways of making wine. Their vision and commitment make each Stellenrust wine a unique expression of the history, terroir and passion they pour into every bottle. A perfect wine is also one that benefits everyone. It should not only give pleasure to the wine lover, but also enable the winegrower to make a living from his products. The workers should be able to earn a decent income from their work. And finally, nature should also be treated with respect. These maxims are the basis of the visionaries Dr. Tertius Boshoff, winemaker at Stellenrust Wine Estate, and Kobie, who is CEO of the winery. Their unwavering principle is to make Stellenrust Wine Estate in the Stellenbosch wine region of South Africa a model for integrative viticulture and to achieve the best quality results. The idea behind integrative viticulture is to have the least possible impact on the environment while at the same time preserving the traditions of the wine estate.

Stellenrust Winery

Stellenrust was granted to Douwe Gerbrand Steyn in 1692. Steyn was significantly involved in the establishment of the East India Spice Route. As a master stonemason, he not only supervised 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 the Stellenrust trademark «Find peace in Stellenbosch». Today, many generations later, Stellenrust is still proud to be one of the largest family-run wine estates in South Africa, where the knowledge and skills of the winemakers are passed down from generation to generation. Each bottle reflects the legacy of their history and the motto «where excellence meets winemaking».

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

ArtiSons by Stellenrust

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

Stellenrust Tasting Sets

All prices in CHF incl. VAT. Daily price from 18.04.2024.
Offers valid while stocks last. Errors and price changes excepted.