SO HOW readily available are the Top 100 South African wines in the 2022 Classification, those with the best track records spanning the past 10 years, and how much are the current releases selling for? Well, a Top Wine SA survey of the country's leading online merchants, focusing on those wines in the Hall of Fame (highlighted in bold below), has revealed that Norman Goodfellows stocked more than any of the others at the time of writing – 23 of the 31. Many of the Top 100 wines cost more at the wineries than at Norman Goodfellows (prices below) and delivery charges are very competitive – a better deal than what's offered at numerous tasting rooms on the farms and at most liquor stores from coast to coast. (Survey results available on request)
At under R200pb, the Barrel Fermented Chenin from Stellenrust in the Helderberg is rather appealing, as is the Reserve Collection Sauvignon Blanc from Tokara off the Helshoogte Pass in Stellenbosch, using grapes from Elgin. The white blend Treaty Tree Reserve from Somerset West cellar Flagstone continues to surprise, and the Pinotage Reserve from Diemersdal in Durbanville is one of the great ambassadors for a variety ‘born' in the Cape. (All prices per 750ml bottle unless stated otherwise)
Top White Wines
CHARDONNAY
• DeMorgenzon Reserve – R445
• Eikendal – R235
• Groot Constantia – R309
• Hamilton Russell – R558
• Jordan Barrel Fermented – R229
• Jordan Nine Yards – SQ
• Kershaw – R639
• Oak Valley Groenlandberg – SQ
• Paul Cluver Estate – R299
• Paul Cluver Seven Flags – R849
• Rustenberg Five Soldiers – R485
• Sumaridge – SQ
• Tokara Reserve Collection Stellenbosch – R249
• Uva Mira Single Tree – SQ
CHENIN BLANC
• Beaumont Hope Marguerite – R379
• Botanica – SQ
• Cederberg Five Generations – R295
• DeMorgenzon Reserve – R445
• Ken Forrester FMC – R629
• Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Old Bush Vine – R265
• Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection – R129
• Perdeberg Dry Land Barrel Fermented – SQ
• Skurfberg (Sadie Family) – SQ
• Spier 21 Gables – R269
• Stellenrust Barrel Fermented – R185
SAUVIGNON BLANC
• Cape Point Reserve – R209
• Diemersdal Journal – SQ
• Ghost Corner (Cederberg) – R255
• Ghost Corner Wild Ferment (Cederberg) – R265
• Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sur Lie – R265
• Paul Cluver – R109
• Spier 21 Gables – R195
• Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin – R169
WHITE BLENDS
• Cape Point Isliedh – R365
• Constantia Glen Two – R315
• Delaire Graff Reserve – R389
• DeMorgenzon Maestro – R245
• Flagstone Treaty Tree Reserve – R135
• Palladius (Sadie Family) – SQ
• Spier Creative Block 2 – R135
• Tokara Director's Reserve – R339
• Vergelegen G.V.B – R509
Top Sparkling Wines
CAP CLASSIQUE
• Desiderius Pongrácz (Distell) – R505
• Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs – R345
• Villiera Monro Brut – R335
Top Red Wines
CABERNET FRANC
• Raats Family – R669
• Warwick – R469
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
• Cederberg Five Generations – SQ
• Eikendal – R259
• Flagstone Music Room – R370
• Jordan Long Fuse – R229
• Kleine Zalze Family Reserve – R445
• Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection – R179
• Le Riche Reserve – R779
• Nederburg Private Bin Two Centuries – SQ
• Neil Ellis Jonkershoek – R499
• Rustenberg Peter Barlow – R595
• Stark-Condé Three Pines – SQ
MERLOT
• Shannon Mount Bullet – R499
PETIT VERDOT
• Mentors (KWV) – SQ
PINOT NOIR
• Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak – R425
• Newton Johnson Family Vineyards – R453
PINOTAGE
• Beyerskloof Diesel – R1079
• Diemersdal Reserve – R199
• Kanonkop – R509
• Mentors (KWV) – R319
• Rijk's Reserve – R569
• Simonsig Redhill – R415
• Spier 21 Gables – R369
• Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve – R439
• Windmeul Reserve – SQ
SHIRAZ / SYRAH
• Cederberg – R255
• De Grendel – R199
• Driehoek – R250
• Eagles' Nest – R329
• Flagstone Dark Horse – R370
• Rustenberg Buzzard Kloof – SQ
• Saronsberg – R299
RED BLENDS
• Beyerskloof Faith – R899
• Constantia Glen Five – R525
• Delaire Graff Botmaskop – R295
• Kanonkop Paul Sauer – R819
• La Motte Pierneef Syrah Viognier – R309
• Mentors Canvas (KWV) – SQ
• Mentors Orchestra (KWV) – SQ
• Mentors Perold (KWV) – SQ
• Saronsberg Full Circle – R579
• Spier Creative Block 3 – R209
• Spier Creative Block 5 – R209
• Tokara Director's Reserve – R489
Top Sweet Wines
UNFORTIFIED DESSERT
• Delheim Edelspatz Noble Latest Harvest – SQ
• Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest (Distell) – R132 (375ml)
• Groot Constantia Grand Constance (Natural Sweet) – R925 (375ml)
• Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet – R1199 (500ml)
• Mullineux Straw Wine – R535 (375ml)
• Nederburg Noble Late Harvest – SQ
• Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc Noble Late Harvest – SQ
• Nederburg Private Bin Eminence Noble Late Harvest Muscadel – SQ
• Paul Cluver Riesling Noble Late Harvest – R379 (375ml)
FORTIFIED DESSERT
• Nuy White Muscadel – SQ
CAPE PORT
• Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve – R270
• De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve – R399
