A run of trophies, top scores and a debut appearance on the Chenin Blanc Top Ten Challenge have seen Groot Phesantekraal secure its reputation for cool-climate Chenin Blanc
For some, Durbanville may be synonymous with Sauvignon Blanc, but winemaker Richard Schroeder believes that’s far from the region’s only story.
At 33, Schroeder is already making a compelling case for Chenin Blanc in one of Cape Town’s coolest wine-growing areas. His 2026 Chenin Blanc was recently named a champion at the National Young Wine Show, following a trio of regional trophies for Groot Phesantekraal at the inaugural Cape Town Young Wine Show.
Meanwhile, the estate’s flagship Anna de Koning Chenin Blanc 2024 featured in the 2026 Standard Bank Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge for the first time. It took gold at the 2026 Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards, while the 2025 vintage earned 94 points from Tim Atkin MW in his 2026 South Africa Report.
The momentum follows Schroeder’s recognition earlier this year as the 2026 runner-up in the iTOO Winemag.co.za Next Generation competition, for which the 2024 Anna de Koning Chenin Blanc scored 94 points. Its 2025 vintage followed with 93 points.
Collectively, these results suggest that Durbanville’s cool climate, combined with Schroeder’s increasingly distinctive approach to Chenin, underscore the area’s growing potential beyond the traditional confines for which it has become known.
“In South Africa, we tend to associate Chenin with resilience and adaptability and the capacity to flourish under warmer conditions. And that’s true,” says Schroeder. “It’s also a perception that’s amplified by stories of Chenin appearing in places like Israel’s Negev Desert or Mendoza in Argentina. But in truth, Chenin’s birthplace, the Loire in France, offers a range of cool sub-regions – pockets that yield beautifully fresh and crisp wines. Think of Vouvray, for instance.
“Even though Durbanville is so readily associated with Sauvignon Blanc, planting Chenin here actually makes a lot of sense, too. So much so, that it has become our primary white wine focus. In our experience, the wines develop generous aromatics, concentration and freshness at comparatively low alcohol levels. You’ll find amongst our Chenins, a racy but supple tension with a layered palate weight and texture. We strive for an almost weightless intensity.
At Groot Phesantekraal, the Chenin vineyards are rooted in decomposed Malmesbury shale soils rich in clay, providing both water retention and drainage while encouraging deep root penetration. The combination of these soils and Durbanville’s cool, slow-ripening conditions give Schroeder the starting blocks to pursue a particular style of Chenin.
The Anna de Koning wines, named for Groot Phesantekraal’s 18th-century owner, are sourced from the farm’s Block 7 vineyard, harvested in multiple passes to capture different flavour profiles and thus, complexity.
The wines are fermented partly on their skins and matured in a combination of concrete, terracotta amphorae and oak.
“We try to harmonise the floral aromatics and lemon-like acidity with a creamy, textured grip and hints of ripe pear and spice,” says Schroeder.
The Anna de Koning Reserve label pays tribute to Anna de Koning, the daughter of a slave who went on to become one of the Cape’s prominent society figures and property owners. Her story is woven into the heritage of Groot Phesantekraal, whose history stretches back to 1698.
Schroeder’s Chenin success forms part of an exceptionally strong year for the estate across its broader portfolio.
At the inaugural Cape Town Young Wine Show, Groot Phesantekraal was named the Hillebrand Gori Cape Town Young Wine Show Regional Champion, winning regional trophies for Chenin Blanc, White Blend and Sweet Wine.
Its 2025 Marizanne Reserve Sauvignon Blanc subsequently won the Southern Sun Sauvignon Blanc Trophy at the 2026 Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards, while the 2025 Chardonnay and 2024 Cabernet Sauvignon each earned gold medals.
The estate’s 2024 Syrah was named among the Top 10 wines in both the Winemag.co.za Prescient Shiraz Report 2026 and the Shiraz SA Challenge 2026. Its 2024 Pinotage won the Pinotage Trophy at the 2026 SA Terroir Wine Awards and was also among the winning wines in the 2026 ABSA Top 10 Pinotage competition.
For Schroeder, this progression has been shaped by both place and opportunity.
Born and raised on a cattle farm between Durbanville and Paarl, he has longstanding ties with the Brink family of Groot Phesantekraal, having attended school with brothers Rennie and Jeandré Brink. He previously worked under Coenie Snyman, formerly of Rust en Vrede, and Kevin Grant of Ataraxia, before joining Groot Phesantekraal in 2020.
Since the unveiling of the estate’s new state-of-the-art cellar in 2023, Schroeder has had greater freedom to experiment, working with concrete eggs, amphorae and French oak while producing both small-batch and larger-edition wines.
“I think the new cellar has given us the space and freedom to really explore,” he says. “There is a lot we can still learn about our vineyards and about what Durbanville can do.”
André Brink, owner of Groot Phesantekraal, believes that spirit of exploration is central to Schroeder’s contribution to the estate.
“Richard has brought enormous energy, curiosity and confidence to our winemaking programme,” he says. “He’s becoming known in the valley as Durbanville’s King of Chenin. We are thrilled at how he is tapping into the depth of Durbanville’s potential.”
Says Schroeder: “There is still so much to uncover with Chenin Blanc. Every vintage reveals another layer.”
As South African Chenin continues to attract growing international attention, Schroeder’s work at Groot Phesantekraal offers another perspective on the variety’s remarkable range: not simply Chenin adapted to a cooler corner of the Cape, but a distinctly Durbanville expression shaped by climate, soil and an increasingly confident young winemaker.
For more information on Groot Phesantekraal, its wines, cocktails, tasting room and restaurant experiences, visit www.grootphesantekraal.co.za.
Contact details:
restaurant@phesantekraal.co.za
wines@phesantekraal.co.za
+27 (21) 825 0060
Groot Phesantekraal Farm, Klipheuwel Way (R302), Durbanville, Cape Town, South Africa
