Atkin report illustrates great aging potential and consistency of KWV The Mentors range

These ratings are published in Tim Atkin’s annual South Africa Special 2015 Report.

Atkin’s scores illustrate a thread of consistent high quality spanning various vintages of KWV’s wines: 25 KWV wines were rated 90 to 94-points, with vintages spanning 2010 to 2014, bar the KWV Limited Release Port, made from grapes harvested in Atkin’s birth year in 1961.

In his report, Atkin observed that South Africa has an array of winemaking talent few countries can emulate. He added: “It is also significant that many of these winemakers are young and well-travelled, contributing enormous vitality to the Cape wine scene, as well as an international perspective that was sometimes lacking before 1994.” Atkin noted that a significant number of these so called young guns occupy top jobs at leading wineries: one of these being Chief Winemaker Johann Fourie at KWV.

Fourie (34) and his team have been driving a major stylistic evolution of KWVs wines in the cellar, and, said Fourie, international reports like Atkin’s further strengthens the wine team’s dedication to achieve superior quality in bottle: “it is humbling to note that our perseverance is recognised”.

Setting this quality benchmark is KWV’s flagship range, KWV The Mentors, which is well represented in Atkin’s report, with 16 of these wines rated 90-points or higher. According to Fourie, Atkin’s South African Report is indicative of the remarkable consistency of KWV’s flagship wines, as well as their aging potential. KWV The Mentors Semillon 2008 was rated 94-points by Atkin, who noted the toasty and fresh character of the wine, he also expressed his pleasure in drinking a “mature vintage of Semillon”.

According to Fourie this impressive aging potential is one of the key character traits of KWV The Mentors, which makes these wines a particularly good choice for wine collectors looking to cellar their wines long term.

It is also a fine choice for those seeking to enjoy some of the best wines being made in South Africa, right now:

KWV The Mentors was established in 2006 to allow KWV winemakers the creative freedom to experiment with different vineyards, cellar practices and grape varieties. Wines bearing the KWV The Mentors label reflect the strict selection criteria which the KWV wine team applies in the making of the final product: a regime which is carried through from vineyard to final bottling, and which ultimately has resulted in KWV The Mentors arguably being South Africa’s most awarded single wine range.

Herewith the full list of KWV wines that scored 90-points or higher