MORGENSTER Cab 2014 at R100 a bottle, Croydon Covenant Cab 2017 at R110, Glenelly Glass Collection Cab 2016 at R115 and Maastricht Cab 2017 at R120. These are the best-priced of the top-scoring wines in the 2019 Prescient Cabernet Sauvignon Report compiled by Winemag.co.za. The most glowing assessments went to the Croydon and to a 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon from Rust en Vrede at R295 pb.

See below for the judges’ Top 10 regardless of price. All in all, eight wines were considered ‘outstanding’ (93-95/100) and 35 ‘excellent’ (90-92). There were 94 wines reviewed for the report – current releases, mostly 2016 and 2017 vintages, from 76 South African producers – and of the 43 wines scored 90-plus, 34 were submitted by Stellenbosch cellars. The judges were Winemag editor Christian Eedes (chair) with wine merchants Roland Peens and James Pietersen (both of Wine Cellar in Cape Town). Full report – including tasting notes for the top wines – available here.

RATED ‘OUTSTANDING’

Blaauwklippen Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
R165 pb from the cellar in Stellenbosch

Croydon Covenant Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
R110 pb from the cellar in Stellenbosch

Delaire Graff Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
R775 pb from the Helshoogte cellar in Stellenbosch

Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
R148 pb from the cellar in Stellenbosch

Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
R240 pb from the Helderberg cellar in Stellenbosch

Plaisir de Merle Cabernet Sauvignon 2015
R260 pb from the cellar in the Simonsberg foothills, Paarl

Rust en Vrede Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
R295 pb from the Helderberg cellar in Stellenbosch

Strydom Rex Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
R267 pb from the cellar in Stellenbosch

ALSO IN TOP 10

Fleur du Cap Series Privée Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
R180 pb from the cellar in Stellenbosch

Neil Ellis Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
R180 pb from the Helshoogte cellar in Stellenbosch