THE VERY BEST wines of South Africa at under R100 a bottle in 2020. Recommended by the top panels of wine experts locally and internationally. Better than standard gold (some gold medals count more than others), even including a few platinum award winners and a couple of trophy laureates. 95 points or higher if scored out of 100 (scores of 90 to 94 generally equate to silver). Shining in the company of wines costing a lot more.
Just click on the links below to jump to uber value whites, pinks, bubblies, reds and sweet wines. Alternatively, click on the variety names or wine types to see all of the top-rated vintages at all price levels over the past couple of years. For details of the accolades, click here. The prices are ex-cellar, although given their attraction, some of these good-value standouts might be sold out at the farms, in which case the retail merchants are where to go shopping.
Top SA White Wines Under R100
BUKETTRAUBE
Darling Cellars Winemakers Selection Bukettraube 2020
R70pb from the cellar, Darling
CHARDONNAY
Badsberg Chardonnay Sur Lie 2019
R90pb from the cellar, Rawsonville
Hill & Dale Chardonnay 2020
R55pb from the producer, Stellenbosch
CHENIN BLANC
Aan de Doorns Chenin Blanc 2020
R44pb ex-cellar, Worcester
Alvi's Drift 221 Chenin Blanc 2019
R95pb ex-cellar, Worcester
Alvi's Drift ADS Chenin Blanc 2020 *
R65pb ex-cellar, Worcester
Badsberg Chenin Blanc 2020
R48pb ex-cellar, Rawsonville
Bayede! King Shaka-Zulu Chenin Blanc 2019
R63pb ex-producer, Paarl
De Wet Cellar Chenin Blanc 2020
R56pb ex-cellar, Worcester
Mulderbosch Steen op Hout Chenin Blanc 2019
R90pb ex-cellar, Polkadraai, Stellenbosch
Neethlingshof Chenin Blanc 2020
R80pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Oude Denneboom Chenin Blanc 2020
R82pb from Vendôme cellar, Paarl
Rhebokskloof Chenin Blanc 2019
R75pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Stellenrust Chenin Blanc 2019 *
R72pb ex-cellar, Helderberg, Stellenbosch
Villiera Chenin Blanc 2019
R73pb ex-cellar, Koelenhof, Stellenbosch
Windmeul Chenin Blanc 2020 *
R55pb ex-cellar, Paarl
ROUSSANNE
Org de Rac Roussanne 2019
R90pb ex-cellar, Piketberg
SAUVIGNON BLANC
Arabella Sauvignon Blanc 2020
R65pb ex-cellar, Ashton
Lanzerac Sauvignon Blanc 2019
R95pb ex-cellar, Jonkershoek
Neethlingshof Sauvignon Blanc 2020
R85pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Nicky Versfeld Sauvignon Blanc 2019
R96pb ex-producer, Somerset West
Rietvallei Sauvignon Blanc 2020
R95pb ex-cellar, Robertson
Stellenbosch Vineyards Southern View Sauvignon Blanc 2020
R90pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Zevenwacht 7even Sauvignon Blanc 2020
R70pb ex-cellar, Kuils River
VIOGNIER
Alvi's Drift ADS Viognier 2020
R69pb ex-cellar, Worcester
WHITE BLENDS
Essay Chenin Blanc Viognier Roussanne 2019
R85pb from MAN/Lievland, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Top SA Pinks Under R100
ROSÉ
Cederberg Sustainable Rosé 2020
R75pb ex-cellar, Cederberg
De Krans Pinotage Rosé 2020
R66pb ex-cellar, Calitzdorp
Delheim Pinotage Rosé 2020
R95pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
DeMorgenzon Garden Vineyards Rosé 2020
R95pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch Kloof
Fish Hoek Cinsault Rosé 2019
R56pb from Flagstone cellar, Somerset West
Kaapzicht Pinotage Rosé 2020
R80pb ex-cellar, Bottelary, Stellenbosch
Kleine Zalze Cinsault Rosé 2020
R75pb ex-cellar, Stellenbosch
Le Pommier Rosé 2020
R95pb ex-cellar, Banghoek, Stellenbosch
Lomond Merlot Rosé 2020
R95pb ex-cellar, Gansbaai, Cape Agulhus
Opstal Syrah Viognier Blush 2020
R75pb ex-cellar, Slanghoek, Breedekloof
Quando Mourvèdre Rosé 2020
R84pb ex-cellar, Robertson
Silkbush Rosé 2020
R81pb ex-cellar, Breedekloof
South Hill Dry Rosé 2020
R95pb ex-cellar, Elgin
Spookfontein Merlot Rosé 2020
R60pb ex-cellar, Upper Hemel-en-Aarde
Stellenbosch Hills Polkadraai Rosé 2020
R50pb ex-cellar, Vlottenburg, Stellenbosch
Stettyn Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2020
R65pb ex-cellar, Villiersdorp
Van Loveren Daydream Chardonnay Pinot Noir 2020
R64pb ex-cellar, Robertson
Vrede en Lust Jess 2020
R95pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Paarl
Zandvliet Shiraz Rosé 2020
R80pb ex-cellar, Ashton
Top SA Bubblies Under R100
CARBONATED
Koelenhof Pinotage Rosé Vin Sec 2020
R80pb ex-cellar, Koelenhof, Stellenbosch
Koelenhof Sauvignon Blanc Vin Sec 2020
R72pb ex-cellar, Koelenhof, Stellenbosch
Top SA Reds Under R100
PINOTAGE
Aan de Doorns Pinotage 2018
R50pb ex-cellar, Worcester
Bayede! King Shaka-Zulu Pinotage 2017
R63pb ex-producer, Paarl
Brink Family Pinotage 2018
R80pb from Pulpit Rock cellar, Riebeek West
MAN Bosstok Pinotage 2018
R79pb from Lievland cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
SHIRAZ
Brink Family Shiraz 2018
R80pb from Pulpit Rock cellar, Riebeek West
Darling Cellars Black Granite Shiraz 2018
R65pb ex-cellar, Darling
Meerhof Shiraz 2019
R95pb ex-cellar, Riebeek Kasteel
RED BLENDS
Meerhof Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon Grenache Noir 2018
R95pb ex-cellar, Riebeek Kasteel
Top SA Sweet Wines Under R100
UNFORTIFIED DESSERT
De Wet Cellar Special Late Harvest 2020
R56pb ex-cellar, Worcester
MUSCADEL / JEREPIGO
Aan de Doorns Red Muscadel 2017
R55pb ex-cellar, Worcester
Du Toitskloof Hanepoot Jerepigo 2016 *
R70pb (500ml) ex-cellar, Rawsonville
Van Loveren Red Muscadel 2020
R72pb ex-cellar, Robertson
* Wines with an asterisk next to their names are included in the SA Wine Classification, which gives reassurance that other vintages of these wines should be just as good.
