Steen Selection: Chenin Blanc

The SelectionSteen is what South Africans have always called it. Long before “Chenin Blanc” appeared on a label, Steen was the backbone of the Cape’s white wine tradition — old vines, alluvial soils, a grape versatile enough to express itself as a bone-dry bush-vine mineral, a honeyed barrel-fermented richness, or an amphora-aged reserve of real complexity. This chenin blanc mixed case collects six expressions that prove the point, drawn from Breedekloof, the Swartland, the Breede River Valley and the Cape.The WinesSix bottles, six styles:The Contour Chenin Blanc 2024 — XCellar old-vine Cape Chenin, textured and gently toastyJasons Hill Beatrix Reserve Chenin Blanc 2024 — amphora and Hungarian oak, white peach and citrus, minimal intervention, award-winningAlvis Drift 221 Chenin Blanc 2024 — SA’s most-awarded estate, 25% wild-yeast barrel fermentation, layered and rich, award-winningStettyn Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2025 — Breede River Valley old vine, stone fruit, honeycomb and mineral depthBadsberg Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc 2025 — Breedekloof barrel-fermented, ripe melon, honeyed fruit, toasted briocheBush Vine Chenin Blanc 2022 — Swartland — XCellar Rebel Block old bush vine, complex and textured, no estate markupAcross the CellarFew grapes reward the winemaker’s toolkit like Chenin Blanc. The Steen Selection deliberately spans the full range: wild-yeast fermentation, amphora and new Hungarian oak, barrel fermentation, old vine intensity without oak, and two XCellar Steens where the wine speaks without a label in the way. Together they map the full arc of what SA’s finest Chenin can do.Tasting NotesCitrus and white peach on the lighter end; stone fruit, honeycomb and mineral tension through the middle; ripe melon, toasted brioche and wild-yeast complexity at the fuller end. Pale gold to deep straw across the six, with that signature Chenin acidity keeping everything fresh and alive.Food PairingThe lighter Steens love grilled Cape snoek, pan-fried line fish or chicken schnitzel. The richer barrel-fermented styles hold their own against creamy pasta, roast chicken with herb butter or a mild Cape Malay curry. Pour the Jasons Hill Beatrix last, on its own. Order your case and keep the Tribe exploring.