Badenhorst 'Secateurs' Chenin Blanc 2009
Long-haired, red-faced Adi Badenhorst has long been one of Cape wine's more colourful characters and most recently was known for his string of successes at Rustenberg. But last year he struck out on his own, or rather with his family (including his cousin Hein and his father), at A A Badenhorst Family Wines. They took over an ancient winery in the up and coming Perdeberg area that had been built in the 1800s and had last been used in the 1930s. This meant fashionable concrete tanks and, according to the 2009 Platter Guide, a sizeable bat population. Even more importantly, they acquired 35 hectares of mature, dry-farmed bushvines, which clearly deliver great quality and complexity.

"Best value among the four wines I have so far tasted from this exciting new producer is A A Badenhorst, Secateurs Chenin Blanc 2009 Swartland, which just over-delivers in the most delightful way! It is the produce of some of the many old Chenin vines that have done so much to establish Swartland's growing reputation for it is jam packed with honeyed, floral, dense and savoury character but, despite its 14% alcohol, is quite dry and refreshing enough to serve in the sort of circumstances you might serve a white burgundy."

Jancis Robinson MW