Top 10 Classification = superb wine time and again, year after year
THE TOP WINE SA Hall of Fame is one thing, but so exclusive, very limited… Also prestigious is a Top 10 ranking in the South African Wine Classification – each of them found particularly appealing vintage after vintage, each of them recommended by panels of experts without fear or favour over the past decade, none of them ‘resting on their laurels’.
Eikendal Chardonnay of Stellenbosch is back in the 2022 A Team, and a new entry among the Top 10 in this category is Kershaw from Elgin. Among the Chenin standouts are Cederberg Five Generations, the Chardonnay/Pinot specialists at Paul Cluver outside Grabouw are becoming as successful with their Sauvignon Blanc, and it was just a matter of time before the Elim white blend Ghost Corner Bowline climbed up a level.
Again among the Top 10 Cabs is the Reserve from Helderberg cellar Le Riche, Paarl’s Babylonstoren Shiraz is also on the move in 2022, while Newstead of Plettenberg Bay and Kleine Zalze of Stellenbosch are not holding back against the more established Cap Classique bubblies.
WHITE WINES
TOP SA CHARDONNAY
• DeMorgenzon Reserve
• Eikendal
• Groot Constantia
• Hamilton Russell
• Jordan Barrel Fermented
• Jordan Nine Yards
• Kershaw
• Oak Valley Groenlandberg
• Paul Cluver Estate
• Rustenberg Five Soldiers
• Tokara Reserve Collection Stellenbosch
TOP SA CHENIN BLANC
• Beaumont Hope Marguerite
• Botanica
• Cederberg Five Generations
• DeMorgenzon Reserve
• Ken Forrester FMC
• Kleine Zalze Family Reserve
• Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection
• Perdeberg Dry Land Barrel Fermented
• Spier 21 Gables
• Stellenrust Barrel Fermented
TOP SA SAUVIGNON BLANC
• Cape Point Reserve
• Cederberg
• Diemersdal Journal
• Ghost Corner (Cederberg)
• Ghost Corner Wild Ferment (Cederberg)
• Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sur Lie
• Nederburg Young Airhawk
• Paul Cluver
• Spier 21 Gables
• Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin
TOP SA WHITE BLENDS
• Cape Point Isliedh
• Constantia Glen Two
• Delaire Graff Reserve
• DeMorgenzon Maestro
• Flagstone Treaty Tree Reserve
• Ghost Corner Bowline (Cederberg)
• Palladius (Sadie Family)
• Spier Creative Block 2
• Tokara Director’s Reserve
• Vergelegen G.V.B
RED WINES
TOP SA CABERNET SAUVIGNON
• Cederberg Five Generations
• Eikendal
• Flagstone Music Room
• Jordan Long Fuse
• Kleine Zalze Family Reserve
• Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection
• Le Riche Reserve
• Nederburg Private Bin Two Centuries
• Neil Ellis Jonkershoek
• Rustenberg Peter Barlow
• Stark-Condé Three Pines
TOP SA PINOT NOIR
• Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak
• Bouchard Finlayson Tête de Cuvée
• Chamonix Reserve
• Crystallum Cuvée Cinéma
• Elgin Vintners
• Lothian
• Newton Johnson Family Vineyards
• Newton Johnson Windansea
• Paul Cluver Estate
• Paul Cluver Seven Flags
TOP PINOTAGE
• Beyerskloof Diesel
• Diemersdal Reserve
• Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Reserve
• Kanonkop
• Mentors (KWV)
• Rijk’s Reserve
• Simonsig Redhill
• Spier 21 Gables
• Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve
• Windmeul Reserve
TOP SA SHIRAZ / SYRAH
• Alto
• Babylonstoren
• Cederberg
• De Grendel
• Driehoek
• Eagles’ Nest
• Flagstone Dark Horse
• Hartenberg Stork
• Leeuwenkuil Heritage
• Mullineux Roundstone Schist
• Rustenberg Buzzard Kloof
• Saronsberg
• Saronsberg Provenance
TOP SA RED BLENDS
• Beyerskloof Faith
• Delaire Graff Botmaskop
• Kanonkop Paul Sauer
• La Motte Pierneef Syrah Viognier
• Mentors Orchestra (KWV)
• Mentors Perold (KWV)
• Saronsberg Full Circle
• Spier Creative Block 3
• Spier Creative Block 5
• Tokara Director’s Reserve
SPARKLING WINES
TOP CAP CLASSIQUE
• Bon Courage Jacques Bruére Brut Reserve
• Des Dieux Claudia Brut
• Desiderius Pongrácz (Distell)
• Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs
• Graham Beck Cuvée Clive
• Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé
• Kleine Zalze Vintage Brut
• Laborie Blanc de Blancs (KWV)
• Newstead Brut
• Villiera Monro Brut
SWEET WINES
TOP SA DESSERTS
• Buitenverwachting ‘1769’ (Noble Late Harvest)
• Delheim Edelspatz Noble Late Harvest
• Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest (Distell)
• Groot Constantia Grand Constance (Natural Sweet)
• Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet
• Mullineux Straw Wine
• Nederburg Noble Late Harvest
• Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc Noble Late Harvest
• Nederburg Private Bin Eminence Noble Late Harvest Muscadel
• Paul Cluver Riesling Noble Late Harvest
Full SA Wine & Cellar Classification and more info about the selection criteria freely available on request.
