South Africa’s top wines in 2021 include 55 that were also on top in 2011
GOING BY the reviews of multiple vintages of South African wines by panels of connoisseurs the world over during the past 10 years, the following are those with the Top 10 track records in each category according to the 2021 SA Wine Classification. Highlighted in bold are those that also topped the Classification back in 2011. Talk about consistency!
Continuing to command respect, decade after decade, are whites such as Rustenberg Five Soldiers, Ken Forrester FMC, Cape Point Isliedh, Sadie Palladius and Tokara Director’s Reserve… reds including Cederberg Five Generations, Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak, Kanonkop and Rijk’s… Cap Classique sparklers such as Bon Courage Jacques Bruére, Graham Beck and Villiera Monro… sweets including Nuy, Boplaas and De Krans.
Given below after the names of the wines are the cellar locations, which are sometimes different from where the vineyards are located. For the full Classification, see here.
• TOP SA WHITE WINES
• TOP SA RED WINES
• TOP SA BUBBLIES
• TOP SA SWEET WINES
TOP SA WHITE WINES
TOP 10 CHARDONNAY
• Chamonix Reserve – Franschhoek
• DeMorgenzon Reserve – Stellenbosch Kloof
• Groot Constantia – Constantia
• Hamilton Russell – Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
• Jordan Barrel Fermented – Stellenbosch Kloof
• Jordan Nine Yards – Stellenbosch Kloof
• Oak Valley Groenlandberg – Elgin
• Paul Cluver Estate – Elgin
• Rustenberg Five Soldiers – Stellenbosch
• Tokara Reserve Collection Stellenbosch – Helshoogte
TOP 10 CHENIN BLANC
• Beaumont Hope Marguerite – Bot River
• Botanica – Devon Valley, Stellenbosch
• DeMorgenzon Reserve – Stellenbosch Kloof
• Ken Forrester FMC – Helderberg, Stellenbosch
• Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Old Bush Vine – Stellenbosch
• Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection – Stellenbosch
• Perdeberg Dry Land Barrel Fermented – Paarl
• Sadie Skurfberg – Paardeberg, Malmesbury
• Spier 21 Gables – Vlottenburg, Stellenbosch
• Stellenrust Barrel Fermented – Helderberg, Stellenbosch
TOP 10 SAUVIGNON BLANC
• Cape Point Reserve – Noordhoek
• Cederberg – Cederberg
• Delaire Graff Coastal Cuvée – Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
• Diemersdal Journal – Durbanville
• Ghost Corner (Cederberg)
• Ghost Corner Wild Ferment (Cederberg)
• Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sur Lie – Stellenbosch
• Nederburg Private Bin D234 – Paarl
• Spier 21 Gables – Vlottenburg, Stellenbosch
• Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin – Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
TOP 10 SEMILLON
• Cape of Good Hope Laing Groendruif (Anthonij Rupert) – Franschhoek
• Constantia Uitsig – Constantia
• Deetlefs Familie – Breedekloof
• Fleur du Cap Unfiltered (Bergkelder) – Stellenbosch
• Ghost Corner (Cederberg)
• Mentors (KWV) – Paarl
• Ondine (Ormonde) – Darling
• Pilgrimage Old Vine (Rickety Bridge) – Franschhoek
• Sadie Kokerboom – Paardeberg, Malmesbury
• Shannon Triangle Block – Elgin
• Steenberg – Tokai / Constantia
• Vergelegen Reserve – Somerset West
TOP SA NICHE WHITE VARIETIES
• Bon Courage André’s Fame Colombard – Robertson
• Neethlingshof Gewürztraminer – Stellenbosch
• Paul Cluver Gewürztraminer – Elgin
• Mentors Grenache Blanc (KWV) – Paarl
• Foundry Grenache Blanc – Voor Paardeberg, Paarl
• Jordan Real McCoy Riesling – Stellenbosch Kloof
• Nitida Riesling – Durbanville
• Paul Cluver Riesling – Elgin
• Paul Cluver Dry Encounter Riesling – Elgin
• Paul Cluver Marks & Spencer Ferricrete Riesling – Elgin
• Vrede en Lust Early Mist Riesling – Simondium, Paarl
• Bellingham Bernard Series Whole Bunch Roussanne – Franschhoek
• Stellenbosch Vineyards Limited Release Verdelho
• Alvi’s Drift ADS Viognier – Worcester
• Eagles’ Nest Viognier – Constantia
• Lourensford Limited Release Viognier – Somerset West
• Ridgeback Viognier – Windmeul, Paarl
• Saronsberg Viognier – Tulbagh
TOP 10 SA WHITE BLENDS
• Cape Point Isliedh – Noordhoek
• Constantia Glen Two – Constantia
• Delaire Graff Reserve – Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
• DeMorgenzon Maestro – Stellenbosch Kloof
• Flagstone Treaty Tree Reserve – Somerset West
• Nederburg Ingenuity – Paarl
• Sadie Palladius – Paardeberg, Malmesbury
• Spier Creative Block 2 – Vlottenburg, Stellenbosch
• Tokara Director’s Reserve – Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
• Vergelegen G.V.B – Somerset West
TOP SA RED WINES
TOP 10 CABERNET FRANC
• Hermanuspietersfontein Swartskaap – Hermanus
• Holden Manz Reserve – Franschhoek
• Mentors (KWV) – Paarl
• My Wyn – Franschhoek
• Oldenburg – Banghoek, Stellenbosch
• Raats Dolomite – Stellenbosch
• Raats Family – Stellenbosch
• Uva Mira The Dance – Helderberg, Stellenbosch
• Warwick – Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
• Whalehaven – Hermanus
TOP 10 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
• Cederberg Five Generations – Cederberg
• Eikendal – Helderberg, Stellenbosch
• Flagstone Music Room – Somerset West
• Jordan Long Fuse – Stellenbosch Kloof
• Kleine Zalze Family Reserve – Stellenbosch
• Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection – Stellenbosch
• Nederburg Two Centuries – Paarl
• Neil Ellis Jonkershoek – Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
• Rustenberg Peter Barlow – Stellenbosch
• Stark-Condé Three Pines – Jonkershoek, Stellenbosch
TOP 10 MERLOT
• D’Aria – Durbanville
• De Grendel – Panorama / Durbanville
• Eagles’ Nest – Constantia
• Eikendal – Helderberg, Stellenbosch
• Fleur du Cap Series Privée (Bergkelder) – Stellenbosch
• Groot Constantia – Constantia
• Laibach Claypot – Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
• Nederburg Private Bin R181 – Paarl
• Oldenburg – Banghoek, Stellenbosch
• Shannon Mount Bullet – Elgin
• Thelema Reserve – Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
TOP 10 PINOT NOIR
• Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak – Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
• Bouchard Finlayson Tête de Cuvée – Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
• Chamonix Reserve – Franschhoek
• Crystallum Cuvée Cinéma – Bot River / Hemel-en-Aarde
• Elgin Vintners – Elgin
• Lothian – Elgin
• Newton Johnson Family Vineyards – Upper Hemel-en-Aarde
• Newton Johnson Windansea – Upper Hemel-en-Aarde
• Paul Cluver Estate – Elgin
• Paul Cluver Seven Flags – Elgin
TOP 10 PINOTAGE
• Beyerskloof Diesel – Stellenbosch
• Diemersdal Reserve – Durbanville
• Flagstone Writer’s Block – Somerset West
• Kanonkop – Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
• Mentors (KWV) – Paarl
• Rijk’s Reserve – Tulbagh
• Simonsig Redhill – Koelenhof, Stellenbosch
• Spier 21 Gables – Vlottenburg, Stellenbosch
• Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve – Bot River
• Windmeul Reserve – Paarl
TOP 10 SHIRAZ / SYRAH
• Alto – Helderberg, Stellenboshc
• Cederberg – Cederberg
• De Grendel – Panorama / Durbanville
• Driehoek – Cederberg
• Eagles’ Nest – Constantia
• Flagstone Dark Horse – Somerset West
• Hartenberg Gravel Hill – Bottelary, Stellenbosch
• Rustenberg Buzzard Kloof Syrah – Stellenbosch
• Saronsberg – Tulbagh
• Saronsberg Provenance – Tulbagh
TOP NICHE RED VARIETIES
• Bosman Twyfeling Cinsaut – Wellington
• Sadie Pofadder Cinsaut – Paardeberg, Malmesbury
• Sadie Soldaat Grenache – Paardeberg, Malmesbury
• Stellenbosch Vineyards Limited Release Grenache
• Diemersdal Malbec – Durbanville
• Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Malbec – Wellington
• Mt Vernon Malbec – Klapmuts, Paarl
• Mentors Petit Verdot (KWV) – Paarl
• Stellenbosch Vineyards Flagship Petit Verdot
• Sutherland Reserve Petit Verdot (Thelema) – Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
• De Krans Touriga Naçional – Calitzdorp
TOP 10 RED BLENDS
• Beyerskloof Faith – Stellenbosch
• Delaire Graff Botmaskop – Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
• Kanonkop Paul Sauer – Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
• La Motte Pierneef Syrah Viognier – Franschhoek
• Mentors Orchestra (KWV) – Paarl
• Mentors Perold (KWV) – Paarl
• Saronsberg Full Circle – Tulbagh
• Spier Creative Block 3 – Vlottenburg, Stellenbosch
• Spier Creative Block 5 – Vlottenburg, Stellenbosch
• Tokara Director’s Reserve – Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
TOP SA SPARKLING WINES
TOP 10 CAP CLASSIQUE
• Bon Courage Jacques Bruére Brut Reserve – Robertson
• Des Dieux Claudia Brut – Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge
• Desiderius Pongrácz (JC Le Roux) – Devon Valley, Stellenbosch
• Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs – Robertson
• Graham Beck Cuvée Clive – Robertson
• Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé – Robertson
• JC Le Roux Scintilla Vintage Reserve – Devon Valley, Stellenbosch
• Laborie Blanc de Blancs (KWV) – Paarl
• Simonsig Cuvée Royale Blanc de Blancs – Koelenhof, Stellenbosch
• Villiera Monro Brut – Koelenhof, Stellenbosch
TOP SA SWEET WINES
TOP 10 DESSERT, UNFORTIFIED
• Delheim Edelspatz Noble Late Harvest – Simonsberg, Stellenbosch
• Fairview La Beryl Blanc (Straw Wine) – Agter-Paarl
• Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest (Bergkelder) – Stellenbosch
• Groot Constantia Grand Constance (Natural Sweet) – Constantia
• Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet – Constantia
• Mullineux Straw Wine – Franschhoek / Riebeek-Kasteel
• Nederburg Edelkeur Noble Late Harvest – Paarl
• Nederburg Eminence Noble Late Harvest – Paarl
• Nederburg Winemasters Noble Late Harvest – Paarl
• Paul Cluver Riesling Noble Late Harvest – Elgin
TOP 10 DESSERT, FORTIFIED
• Alvi’s Drift Muscat de Frontignan – Worcester
• Bon Courage Red Muscadel – Robertson
• Bon Courage White Muscadel – Robertson
• Boplaas Heritage Collection White Muscadel – Calitzdorp
• Du Toitskloof Red Muscadel – Rawsonville, Breedekloof
• Merwida White Muscadel – Rawsonville, Breedekloof
• Nuy Red Muscadel – Worcester
• Nuy White Muscadel – Worcester
• Orange River Cellars Red Muscadel – Upington
• Orange River Cellars White Muscadel – Upington
• Slanghoek Red Muscadel – Breedekloof
TOP 10 PORT-STYLE, FORTIFIED
• Axe Hill Cape Vintage – Calitzdorp
• Bergsig Cape LBV – Breerivier, Breedekloof
• Boplaas Cape Tawny NV – Calitzdorp
• Boplaas Cape Vintage – Calitzdorp
• Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve – Calitzdorp
• De Krans Cape Vintage – Calitzdorp
• De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve – Calitzdorp
• Delaire Graff Cape Vintage – Helshoogte, Stellenbosch
• KWV Cape Tawny NV – Paarl
• Landskroon Cape Vintage – Agter-Paarl
• Peter Bayly Cape Vintage – Calitzdorp
