To be eligible for the Classification, updated annually since 2004, wines of the Cape must have earned very good to excellent reviews from at least one of the top judging panels for at least three vintages during the 10-year period under review – between 2007 and 2016 (inclusive) for the 2017 Classification. The critics include experts appointed for the Decanter World Wine Awards (UK), the International Wine Challenge (UK) and IWSC (UK), the Michelangelo awards (SA), Platter's SA Wine Guide (5 Stars and Highly Recommended), the Six Nations Challenge (AU), the Trophy Wine Show (SA) and the Veritas Awards (SA) – to mention just some of the panels – and it is the number of top-rated vintages as well as the type of accolades that determine Top 10 and Top 20 status among South Africa's most fancied wines in terms of the Classification.
Newcomers and resurgent champions in the Top Wine SA Hall of Fame – showcasing wines that have received very good ratings for at least eight releases/vintages during the past 10 years – include Ataraxia Chardonnay, Cloof The Very Sexy Shiraz, De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc and De Grendel Shiraz, Eagles’ Nest Shiraz, Flagstone Dark Horse Shiraz, Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Chardonnay, Groot Constantia Chardonnay, Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Shiraz, Nederburg Ingenuity (White Blend), Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir, Oak Valley Chardonnay, Rijk’s Reserve Pinotage, Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc, Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin Sauvignon Blanc and Warwick Trilogy (Red Blend).
And among those producers joining or returning to the ranks of the Top 20 South African wineries in the 2017 SA Cellar Classification are Eagles’ Nest, Groot Constantia and Klein Constantia of the Cape Peninsula as well as La Motte of Franschhoek.
ā Highlights of the 2017 SA Wine & Cellar Classifications celebrating the most consistently good wines of the various types produced in South Africa are given below in alphabetical order. The full Classifications can be viewed at www.topwinesa.com and are also available on request via email to the editor of Top Wine SA Mike Froud: mike@topwinesa.com
Highlights of 2017 SA Wine Classifications
TOP TRACK RECORDS IN MAJOR WINE CATEGORIES OVER PAST 10 YEARS – 2007 TO 2016
Top 10 SA Chardonnay
Chamonix Reserve
Groot Constantia
Hamilton Russell
Jordan Barrel Fermented
Jordan Nine Yards
Mulderbosch Barrel Fermented
Oak Valley
Paul Cluver Estate
Rustenberg Five Soldiers
Tokara Reserve Collection Stellenbosch
Top 10 SA Chenin Blanc
Beaumont Hope Marguerite
Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine
Botanica
DeMorgenzon Reserve
Kanu KCB
Ken Forrester The FMC
Kleine Zalze Cellar Selection Bush Vines
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection
Spier 21 Gables
Stellenrust Barrel Fermented
Top 10 SA Sauvignon Blanc
Cape Point
Cederberg
David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner
De Grendel Koetshuis
Diemersdal Eight Rows
Diemersdal MM Louw
Graham Beck Pheasants' Run
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sur Lie
Nederburg Private Bin D234
Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin
Top 10 SA White Blends
Cape Point Isliedh
Flagstone Treaty Tree
Miles Mossop Saskia
Nederburg Ingenuity
Nitida Coronata Integration
Sadie Palladius
Spier Creative Block 2
Tokara Director's Reserve
Vergelegen G.V.B
Vondeling Babiana
Top 10 SA Cabernet Sauvignon
Boekenhoutskloof
Cederberg Five Generations
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered
Guardian Peak Lapa
Kanonkop
Le Riche Reserve
Nederburg Private Bin R163
Rustenberg Peter Barlow
Stark-Condé Three Pines
Thelema
Waterford
Top 10 SA Merlot
Anura Reserve
De Grendel
Dieu Donné
Eikendal
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered
Hartenberg
La Petite Ferme
Laibach Claypot
Longridge
Shannon Mount Bullet
Whalehaven
Top 10 SA Pinot Noir
Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak
Bouchard Finlayson Tête de Cuvée
Chamonix Reserve
Crystallum Cuvée Cinéma
Hamilton Russell
Meerlust
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards
Oak Valley
Paul Cluver Seven Flags
Sumaridge
Top 10 Pinotage
Beyerskloof Diesel
Diemersfontein Carpe Diem
Flagstone Writer's Block
Kanonkop
KWV The Mentors
Rijk's Private Cellar
Rijk's Reserve
Simonsig Redhill
Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve
Windmeul Reserve
Top 10 SA Shiraz/Syrah
Boekenhoutskloof Syrah
Bon Courage Inkará
Cederberg
De Grendel
Eagles' Nest
Hartenberg The Stork
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve
Rustenberg Buzzard Kloof Syrah
Saronsberg
Simonsig Merindol Syrah
Top 10 SA Red Blends
Eikendal Classique
Ernie Els Signature
Jordan Cobblers Hill
Kaapzicht Steytler Vision
Kanonkop Paul Sauer
La Motte Pierneef Collection Syrah Viognier
Morgenster
Sadie Columella
Saronsberg Full Circle
Tokara Director's Reserve
Top 10 Sparkling Cap Classique
Bon Courage Jacques Bruére Blanc De Blancs
Bon Courage Jacques Bruére Brut Reserve
Desiderius Pongrácz
Graham Beck Brut Blanc De Blancs
JC Le Roux Scintilla
Laborie Blanc De Blancs
Simonsig Cuvée Royale Blanc De Blancs
Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut
Villiera Monro Brut
Villiera Woolworths Vintage Reserve Brut
Top 10 SA Unfortified Dessert
Delheim Edelspatz Noble Late Harvest
Fairview La Beryl Blanc
Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet
Mullineux Straw Wine
Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc Noble Late Harvest
Nederburg Private Bin Eminence Noble Late Harvest Muscadel
Nederburg Winemasters Noble Late Harvest
Neethlingshof Maria Noble Late Harvest
Paul Cluver Riesling Noble Late Harvest
Top 10 SA Fortified Dessert
Badsberg Red Muscadel
Bon Courage Red Muscadel
Bon Courage White Muscadel
Du Toitskloof Hanepoot Jerepigo
KWV White Muscadel Jerepigo
Nuy Red Muscadel
Nuy White Muscadel
Orange River Cellars Red Muscadel
Orange River Cellars White Muscadel
Rooiberg Red Muscadel
Slanghoek Red Muscadel
Top 10 Cape Ports
Axe Hill Cape Vintage
Boplaas Cape Tawny NV
Boplaas Cape Vintage
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve
De Krans Cape Tawny NV
De Krans Cape Vintage
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve
Delaire Graff Cape Vintage
KWV Cape Tawny NV
Landskroon Cape Vintage
* Where there are more than 10 wines included in the Top 10 Classifications there was a tie for 10th place
Top 20 SA Wine Cellars Overall – 2017 Classification
TOP 20 WINE PRODUCER TRACK RECORDS OVER THE PAST 10 YEARS – 2007 TO 2016
Boekenhoutskloof
Cape Point Vineyards
Cederberg Private Cellar
Chamonix
Eagles' Nest
Fleur Du Cap (Bergkelder)
Groot Constantia Estate
Hamilton Russell Vineyards
Jordan Wine Estate
Kanonkop Wine Estate
Klein Constantia
Kleine Zalze
La Motte
Nederburg
Paul Cluver Wines
Rustenberg Wines
Saronsberg
Simonsig Wine Estate
Tokara
Vergelegen
* The SA Cellar Classification is based on the ratings of wines that are unfortified, i.e. with no spirit added
2017 Top Wine SA Hall of Fame
The following South African wines stand out as having received top accolades – gold medal standard or better – from the top tasting panels locally and/or internationally for at least eight vintages in respect of a 10-year span of vintages rated during the past 10 years (2007 to 2016)
Ataraxia Chardonnay
Beaumont Hope Marguerite (Chenin)
Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage
Beyerskloof Pinotage Reserve
Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon
Boekenhoutskloof Syrah
Bon Courage Inkará Shiraz
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve (Port)
Cape Point Isliedh (White Blend)
Cederberg Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon
Cederberg Sauvignon Blanc
Cederberg Shiraz
Chamonix Chardonnay Reserve
Chamonix Pinot Noir Reserve
Cloof The Very Sexy Shiraz
David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Sauvignon Blanc (Cederberg Cellar)
De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc
De Grendel Shiraz
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve (Port)
Diemersdal Eight Rows Sauvignon Blanc
Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Pinotage
Eagles' Nest Shiraz
Ernie Els Signature (Red Blend)
Fairview La Beryl Blanc (Straw Wine)
Flagstone Dark Horse Shiraz
Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest (Bergkelder)
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon (Bergkelder)
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Chardonnay (Bergkelder)
Graham Beck Pheasants' Run Sauvignon Blanc
Groot Constantia Chardonnay
Guardian Peak Lapa Cabernet Sauvignon
Hamilton Russell Chardonnay
Hartenberg The Stork Shiraz
Jordan Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay
Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon
Kanonkop Paul Sauer (Red Blend)
Kanonkop Pinotage
Kanu KCB Chenin Blanc
Ken Forrester The FMC Chenin Blanc
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Shiraz
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sur Lie Sauvignon Blanc
La Motte Pierneef Collection Syrah Viognier
Miles Mossop Saskia (White Blend)
Morgenster (Red Blend)
Mulderbosch Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
Nederburg Ingenuity White Blend (White Blend)
Nederburg Private Bin D234 Sauvignon Blanc
Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc Noble Late Harvest
Nederburg Private Bin Eminence Noble Late Harvest Muscadel
Nederburg Private Bin R163 Cabernet Sauvignon
Nederburg Winemasters Noble Late Harvest
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir
Nitida Coronata Integration (White Blend)
Oak Valley Chardonnay
Paul Cluver Estate Chardonnay
Paul Cluver Riesling Noble Late Harvest
Raats Family Cabernet Franc
Raka Biography Shiraz
Rijk's Private Cellar Pinotage
Rijk's Reserve Pinotage
Rust en Vrede Estate (Red Blend)
Rustenberg Five Soldiers Chardonnay
Sadie Columella (Red Blend)
Sadie Palladius (White Blend)
Saronsberg Full Circle (Red Blend)
Saronsberg Shiraz
Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut (MCC)
Simonsig Redhill Pinotage
Stark-Condé Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon
Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc
Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon
Tokara Director's Reserve Red
Tokara Director's Reserve White
Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin Sauvignon Blanc
Tokara Reserve Collection Stellenbosch Chardonnay
Uva Mira The Single Tree Chardonnay
Vergelegen G.V.B White
Warwick Trilogy (Red Blend)
Waterford Cabernet Sauvignon
Windmeul Reserve Pinotage
Seeking consenses among the world’s wine experts
The SA Wine and Cellar Classifications are based on reviews by the most respected panels of judges in forums where South African wines have a significant presence:
Cap Classique Challenge – South Africa
Cape Port Challenge – South Africa
Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships – United Kingdom
Chardonnay du Monde – France
Chenin Blanc Top 10 Challenge – South Africa
Concours Mondial de Bruxelles – Belgium
Concours Mondial du Sauvignon – France
Decanter World Wine Awards – United Kingdom
Drinks Business Global Masters – United Kingdom
International Wine & Spirit Competition – United Kingdom
International Wine Challenge – United Kingdom
Michelangelo International Wine & Spirits Awards – South Africa
Muskadel SA Awards – South Africa
Muscats du Monde – France
Perold Cape Blend Competition – South Africa
Platter’s South African Wine Guide
Rosé Rocks – South Africa
Sauvignon Blanc Top 10 Competition – South Africa
Shiraz SA Wine Challenge – South Africa
Six Nations Wine Challenge – Australia
Sommeliers Selection – South Africa
Syrah du Monde – France
Top 10 Pinotage Competition – South Africa
Top 100 SA Wine Challenge – South Africa
Trophy Wine Show – South Africa
Ultra Value Wine Challenge – South Africa
Veritas Awards – South Africa
Winemag.com – South Africa