Only one South African in US Wine Spectator’s Top 100 in 2021? Please!
WHAT RUBBISH! Wine Spectator, the biggest and some say the most influential magazine cum online publication for wine lovers in the USA names its Top 100 for 2021 and ONLY ONE of them is from South Africa: De Wetshof Bon Vallon Chardonnay 2020. Incredible! Although better than the zero in 2019… and in 2020 there were only three: Glenelley Estate Chardonny 2018, Southern Right Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Stark-Condé Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2017.
De Wetshof makes good Chardonnay alright, best in Robertson, but they themselves position three of their other wines above Bon Vallon. And besides Chardonnay, doesn’t Wine Spectator regard even one of the Cape’s Chenins as interesting, not a single Shiraz, Cab, Pinotage, red blend, a wonderful white blend perhaps or a dessert wine?! In October, just a month earlier, WS included Hamilton Russell Chardonnay 2020 and Klein Constantia Vin de Constance 2012 in the Grand Tasting at their New York Wine Experience, but didn’t consider these to be Top 100-worthy either…
On an annual basis since 1988, WS publisher Marvin Shanken’s team of editors have come up with a list which they say comprises the most exciting wines from the thousands reviewed during the course of the year. “These wines are a diverse group – ranging from emerging labels and regions to traditional estates exploring new directions – and all generate the excitement we call the ‘X-factor’. In addition,” they say, “our selection also prioritizes quality (based on score), value (based on price) and availability (based on the number of cases either made or imported into the United States). These criteria are applied to the wines that rated outstanding (90 points or higher on Wine Spectator’s 100-point scale) each year to determine our Top 100.”
There were 125 wines of South Africa scored 90+ in Wine Spectator in 2021 to date, however apparently only one had the ‘X-factor’, an unwooded Chardonnay. Unbelievable! Will the top wine producers in the Cape take this lying down?
About the Wine Spectator and Wine Enthusiast: “If it’s not from France, or from Barolo, Montalcino or Chianti in Italy, or from a few places in California, the rest of the wine world doesn’t seem to exist for WE or WS in the States. What they don’t seem to know about Italian wines could fill lots of their magazines! Can’t even imagine for South Africa.”
The USA’s Wine Enthusiast magazine is not much better than the country’s Wine Spectator mag in terms of how little respect they have for South Africa’s finest. Even with the tasting of South African reds and whites covered by their managing editor Lauren Buzzeo, there were only two SA wines in ‘The Enthusiast 100’, their choice of the best wines from around the world that they reviewed in 2021. What did they choose from the Cape? Simonsig Labyrinth Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 from Stellenbosch, and Lubanzi Chenin Blanc 2020 from the Swartland. Go figure!
It’s is such a pity the USA knows so little of what we do in South Africa. I have always believed we can entice and interest them with our wine styles, our stories and our accents! I also think we should put as much money as we can in that market, strategically and with class. Not cheap and cheerful as we have done in every other market. There should be a law that you cannot ship there at under $10 a bottle. Wishful thinking I know!