‘CONTROVERSIAL!’ The critic concedes as much. Whereas the results of panel tastings conducted ‘blind’ (labels out of sight) might be more objective and fair, Tim Atkin’s reviews are sighted, sometimes with the producers present. His rankings reflect his personal favourites. Nevertheless, as a British Master of Wine, one of the UK’s most respected wine writers, show judges and a regular visitor to the winelands of South Africa since 1990, he is familiar with the lie of the land and the state of play. He knows many of the country’s leading winemakers and viticulturists as well as plenty of other key figures in the industry, and his words carry a fair amount of marketing clout – to the extent that his awards count more than those presented to the winners of certain competitions.

Atkin’s 2019 Report on Wine SA is the seventh edition of his annual overview, commenting on the state of the market, opining on his favourite wines of the Cape and giving his classification of the leading cellars. He describes his report as a snapshot, and there are five new names among his top tier of producers this year: Boschkloof, DeMorgenzon, Lismore, Savage and Waterford. Demoted to make way for them were Chamonix, Hamilton Russell, Keermont, Richard Kershaw and Tokara. Ouch!

Of the 2118 SA wines from 543 producers that he assessed for his 2019 report, two stood out for him as particularly special: the Sadie family’s white blend ‘T Voetpad 2018 and a Shiraz from Reenen Borman, Boschkloof Epilogue 2017, both scored 99/100. No perfect score this time round, following the 100/100 for Kanonkop’s 2015 Paul Sauer in his 2018 report.

Atkin rates wines using a 100-point scale, defining 90 to 94 as equal to a silver medal and 95+ equal to gold. For the names and scores of all the South African wines he scored most highly, and for the complete ranking of what he considers to be the country’s Top 250 producers, his 281-page ‘South Africa 2019 Special Report’ can be purchased for £20: click here. His favourites are listed below:

 

TA’s First Growths

AA Badenhorst
Alheit
Boekenhoutskloof
Boschkloof (2nd in 2018)
Crystallum
David & Nadia
Delaire Graff
DeMorgenzon (2nd in 2018)
Hartenberg
Kanonkop
Klein Constantia
Lismore (2nd in 2018)
Mullineux
Newton Johnson
Paul Cluver
Porseleinberg
Raats
Rall
Restless River
Reyneke
Sadie Family
Savage (2nd in 2018)
Stark-Condé
Thorne & Daughters
Waterford (2nd in 2018)

 

TA’s Second Growths

Beeslaar
BLANKbottle
Cape Point
Creation (3rd in 2018)
De Krans
Eikendal
Gabriëlskloof (3rd in 2018)
Hamilton Russell (1st in 2018)
Iona
Keermont (1st in 2018)
Keet
Le Lude
Leeu Passant
Miles Mossop
Richard Kershaw (1st in 2018)
Shannon (3rd in 2018)
Silverthorn
Spioenkop
Storm
Thelema (3rd in 2018)
Tokara (1st in 2018)
Uva Mira
Van Loggerenberg (3rd in 2018)
Vilafonté
Warwick

 

DEMOTED TO THIRD GROWTHS

Cederberg (2nd in 2018)
Chamonix (1st in 2018)
Mulderbosch (2nd in 2018)
Vergelegen (2nd in 2018)

 

WHITES RATED 97+

Alheit Huilkrans 2018
Citrusdal Mountain Chenin

Alheit Magnetic North 2018
Citrusdal Mountain Chenin

Alheit Radio Lazarus 2018
Stellenbosch-Bottelary Chenin

David & Nadia Hoë-Steen 2018
Swartland Chenin

Sadie Kokerboom 2018
Olifants River Semillon, Semillon Gris

Sadie Mev Kirsten 2018
Stellenbosch Chenin

Sadie Skerpioen 2018
Swartland Chenin, Palomino

Sadie Skurfberg 2018
Olifants River Chenin

Sadie ‘T Voetpad 2018
Swartland field blend of Semillon, Palomino, Chenin, Muscat

 

REDS RATED 97+

Boschkloof Epilogue Syrah 2017
Stellenbosch Shiraz

Delaire Graff Laurence Graff Reserve 2015
Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon

Keet First Verse 2015
Stellenbosch Bordeaux-style blend

Lismore Syrah Reserve 2018
Greyton Shiraz

Porseleinberg Syrah 2017
Swartland Shiraz

Sadie Columella 2017
Swartland Shiraz, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Carignan, Cinsaut

Shannon Black 2015
Elgin Merlot

Terracura Trinity Syrah 2017
Swartland Shiraz

Thelema Rabelais 2015
Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot

Waterford Jem 2014
Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese, Barbera

 

SWEETS RATED 97+

Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2017
Constantia Muscat de Frontignan

Mullineux Straw Wine 2018
Swartland Chenin

 

• For the South African Wine & Cellar Classifications based on panel findings, tasting ‘blind’, on track records spanning the last 10 years, see here.