BASED ON THE BEST track records in over 30 top local and international forums for the assessment of wine quality and interest value during the past 10 years, the South African Wine & Cellar Classifications showcase the country’s leading outfits – those regularly on top form, their product judged excellent to outstanding again and again, year after year.

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 the flagship Chardonnay from Eikendal, Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve Chenin Blanc, Diemersdal MM Louw Sauvignon Blanc, the white blend Zorgvliet Simoné, Warwick Cabernet Franc, Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Shiraz and Reyneke Reserve, the red blends Delaire Graff Botmaskop, KWV Mentors Canvas, Spier Creative Blocks 3 and 5, as well as the Cape Port Delaire Graff Cape Vintage.

Producers joining the ranks of the Top 20 South African wineries in the 2019 SA Cellar Classification are Beyerskloof, Newton Johnson, Oak Valley and Spier.

To be eligible for the Classification, updated annually since 2004, wines must have earned good to excellent reviews from one or more of the top panels of judges for at least three vintages during the 10-year period under review – between 2009 and 2018 (inclusive) for the 2019 Classification – 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 applauded wines in terms of the Classification.

 

2019 SA Cellar Classification

TOP 20 CELLARS OVERALL

Beyerskloof
Koelenhof, Stellenbosch

Cape Point Vineyards
Noordhoek

Cederberg Private Cellar
Cederberg

DeMorgenzon
Stellenbosch Kloof

Eagles’ Nest
Constantia

Groot Constantia Estate
Constantia

Hamilton Russell Vineyards
Hemel-en-Aarde Valley

Jordan Wine Estate
Stellenbosch Kloof

Kanonkop Wine Estate
Simonsberg, Stellenbosch

Kleine Zalze
Stellenbosch

La Motte
Franschhoek

Newton Johnson Family Vyds
Upper Hemel-en-Aarde

Oak Valley
Elgin

Paul Cluver Wines
Elgin

Rustenberg Wines
Simonsberg, Stellenbosch

Saronsberg
Tulbagh

Spier
Stellenbosch

Stellenrust
Helderberg, Stellenbosch

Tokara
Simonsberg, Stellenbosch

Vergelegen Estate
Somerset West

 

2019 SA Wine Classification

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 within a 10-year span of vintages rated during the past 10 years (2009 to 2018).

•  Beamont Hope Marguerite (Chenin)
•  Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage
•  Boekenhoutskloof Syrah
•  Bon Courage Inkará Shiraz
•  Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve (Port)
•  Botanica Chenin Blanc
•  Cape Point Isliedh (White Blend)
•  Cederberg Cabernet Sauvignon
•  Cederberg Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon
•  Cederberg Sauvignon Blanc
•  Cederberg Shiraz
•  Chamonix Reserve Chardonnay
•  Chamonix Reserve Pinot Noir
•  Chamonix Reserve Troika (Red Blend)
•  De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve (Port)
•  Delaire Graff Botmaskop (Red Blend)
•  Delaire Graff Cape Vintage (Port)
•  DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin Blanc
•  Diemersdal Eight Rows Sauvignon Blanc
•  Diemersdal MM Louw Sauvignon Blanc
•  Diemersdal Pinotage
•  Diemersdal Reserve Pinotage
•  Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Pinotage Reserve
•  Eagles’ Nest Shiraz
•  Eikendal Cabernet Sauvignon
•  Eikendal Chardonnay
•  Ernie Els Signature (Red Blend)
•  Flagstone Dark Horse Shiraz
•  Flagstone Treaty Tree Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
•  Flagstone Writer’s Block Pinotage
•  Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest (Bergkelder)
•  Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon (Bergkelder)
•  Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Chardonnay (Bergkelder)
•  Ghost Corner Sauvignon Blanc (Cederberg)
•  Ghost Corner Semillon (Cederberg)
•  Glen Carlou Chardonnay
•  Groot Constantia Chardonnay
•  Hamilton Russell Chardonnay
•  Jordan Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
•  Jordan Cobblers Hill  (Red Blend)
•  Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay
•  Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon
•  Kanonkop Paul Sauer (Red Blend)
•  Kanonkop Pinotage
•  Ken Forrester FMC Chenin Blanc
•  Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet
•  Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Shiraz
•  KWV Mentors Canvas (Red Blend)
•  KWV Mentors Orchestra (Red Blend)
•  La Motte Pierneef Syrah Viognier
•  Le Riche Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
•  Morgenster Estate Reserve (Red Blend)
•  Mulderbosch Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
•  Mullineux Straw Wine
•  Mullineux White
•  Nederburg Auction Reserve Private Bin D234 Sauvignon Blanc
•  Nederburg Auction Reserve Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc Noble Late Harvest
•  Nederburg Ingenuity White Blend
•  Nederburg Two Centuries Cabernet Sauvignon
•  Nederburg Winemasters Noble Late Harvest
•  Neethlingshof Gewürztraminer
•  Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir
•  Nitida Coronata Integration (White Blend)
•  Oak Valley Groenlandberg Chardonnay
•  Paul Cluver Estate Chardonnay
•  Paul Cluver Riesling Noble Late Harvest
•  Raats Family Cabernet Franc
•  Reyneke Reserve Red (Shiraz)
•  Rijk’s Reserve Pinotage
•  Rustenberg Buzzard Kloof Syrah
•  Rustenberg Five Soldiers Chardonnay
•  Rustenberg Peter Barlow Cabernet Sauvignon
•  Sadie Palladius (White Blend)
•  Saronsberg Full Circle (Red Blend)
•  Saronsberg Shiraz
•  Shannon Mount Bullet (Merlot)
•  Simonsig Redhill Pinotage
•  Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc
•  Spier Creative Block 3 (Red Blend)
•  Spier Creative Block 5 (Red Blend)
•  Spier Woolworths Hutton Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon
•  Stark-Condé Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon
•  Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc
•  Strandveld Adamastor (White Blend)
•  Tokara Director’s Reserve Red
•  Tokara Director’s Reserve White
•  Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin Sauvignon Blanc
•  Tokara Reserve Collection Stellenbosch Chardonnay
•  Vergelegen G.V.B White
•  Warwick Cabernet Franc
•  Waterford Cabernet Sauvignon
•  Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve Chenin Blanc
•  Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve Pinotage
•  Windmeul Reserve Pinotage
•  Zorgvliet Simoné (White Blend)