A gathering celebrated five decades of Chenel at Springfontein Wine Estate in Stanford, near Hermanus, in November 2024. Springfontein is the only producer to bottle Chenel as a single varietal wine. The team at Springfontein has invested hugely in building up the vines and they're also focusing on South African varieties (They also make an interesting Pinotage). They hosted the 50th anniversary of Chenel at the farm on 21 November 2024 and invited a small group of interested parties to present and discuss. We also visited various vineyards and the never-ending spring, which provides all the water for the farm. Dr. Carl Orffer played a significant role in developing various South African varieties. Appreciation to the team at Springfontein for hosting the interesting day, and thanks to the speakers for filling in all the history and technical backend. Speakers for the day included: The passionate Springfontein team: Dr. Johst Weber, Jeanne Vito, and Emil Weber Darryl Jacobs, deputy director general and head of the mobility department at Elsenburg College Etienne Terblanche and Gert Engelbrecht, consultancy managers at Vinpro André Van Wyk, CEO of Vititec Brenton Maarman, Viticulture and Oenology lecturer at Elsenburg College Prof. Carlos Poblete-Echeverria, digital agriculture associate at Stellenbosch University