Estate White Blend 2024

Something of a coup for the Wine Society, where buyer Victoria Mason MW is doing exciting things with the retailer’s South African range, this is a new wine from a historic estate on the Paardeberg, now under new ownership as they say in the hotel trade. It’s a brilliant, layered, complex blend of Chenin Blanc, Viognier, Marsanne and the Hungarian grape Hárslevelü, with aromas of honeysuckle, fennel and wet stone and a tangy, racy palate of orange zest, pear and pink grapefruit. A wine that looks every bit as good as it tastes.

Our Estate White Blend 2024 captivated the judges resulting an impressive 92 points and a Silver Medal at the 2026 Trophy Wine Show.

The Zwartwater 2024 Paardeberg Lammershoek Estate White Blend is composed of 73% Chenin Blanc, 13% Viognier, 10% Hárslevelü, 3% Marsanne and 1% Chardonnay, sourced entirely from estate vineyards on the granite soils of the Paardeberg. A portion of the wine was fermented and aged in concrete eggs, with 5% new oak and the balance in older barrels.

Beginning in 2025, the estate has moved away from new oak entirely, favoring second- and third-fill barrels for a more restrained wood influence. Aged separately before blending in January of the following year after harvest and resting briefly on lees prior to bottling, the wine shows full-bodied weight and textural intensity. Ripe stone fruit and subtle sweetness on the mid-palate are balanced by brightness and a return to mineral notes, with oak providing gentle framing.

Zwartwater is a newly launched brand rising from the historic Paardeberg property long known as Lammershoek-"Lamb's Corner." Now in its third ownership change in 27 years, the estate begins a new chapter under owner-winemaker Stefan Johannes, who recognizes the immense potential of this Swartland site. The 187-hectare property is composed entirely of decomposed granite, with 45 hectares planted to vine across exposures that run from full south to full north, framed by eucalyptus groves and the rugged slopes of the Paardeberg.

This is a deeply personal and multi-generational vision: Stefan, father of six, involves his entire family in the wines, supported by more than 100 employees, many of whom live on the estate. Zwartwater produces just two wines—a white blend and a red blend-both sourced exclusively from estate fruit. Plans are underway to unveil an embossed bottle for wines made from Lammershoek fruit, reinforcing origin and farming identity. The valley itself was first recorded by early settlers for its reliable groundwater, with vines planted here as early as 1719, underscoring the site's long viticultural history.