Why Back the Grape Nobody Believed In?
A few decades ago, betting your winery's future on Chenin Blanc would have seemed about as sensible as putting all your savings on an outsider at the races.
And yet, here we are.
As wine lovers around the world celebrate Chenin Blanc Day each year, we find ourselves reflecting on a decision that has shaped Radford Dale from the very beginning: our belief that South Africa's most underrated grape would one day get the recognition it deserved.
Long before Chenin Blanc was fashionable, before old vines became marketing gold, and before sommeliers began speaking reverently about Cape Chenin, our founder Alex Dale saw something different. While many producers were chasing international varieties and global trends, he looked at the vineyards rooted deep in South African soil and asked a simple question:
"Why are we ignoring the grape that grows here better than almost anything else?"
At the time, Chenin Blanc carried baggage. It was abundant, familiar, unfashionable. For generations it had been associated with bulk wine and brandy production rather than fine wine. It was the dependable workhorse nobody invited to the awards ceremony.
Old bush vines planted decades earlier were quietly producing fruit of remarkable character and complexity. Particularly in the Helderberg, where cooling ocean breezes, decomposed granite soils and maritime influence combined to create wines with freshness, texture and a profound sense of place.
The more we explored these vineyards, the clearer it became: Chenin wasn't the underdog because it lacked quality. It was the underdog because nobody had been paying attention.
We sought out old vines. We partnered with growers who were often considering removing them. We paid premiums for fruit that many viewed as unfashionable. More than once, people politely suggested we might have lost our minds.
Today, Chenin Blanc remains the beating heart of Radford Dale. It continues to tell the story of the Cape better than almost any other variety. It can be vibrant and energetic, textured and serious, fresh and mineral, all while remaining unmistakably South African.
Few wines are as comfortable alongside food as Chenin Blanc. It has enough freshness to handle seafood, enough texture for richer dishes, enough complexity to stand up to spice, and enough personality to keep the conversation going long after the plates are cleared. If wine is meant to bring people together, Chenin Blanc might just be one of the most sociable grapes on earth.
Today, under the guidance of winemaker Petroné Thomas, our obsession with Chenin continues. Every vintage presents a new opportunity to explore the remarkable versatility of this grape and the unique sites that make the Helderberg such a special place to grow it.
What began as a belief in an overlooked variety has become something much bigger: one of the Cape's greatest success stories.
Not bad for an underdog.
#ObsessedWithChenin
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