THREE of South Africa's finest wines of the year, 97-pointers at the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards in the UK and with exceptional credentials established over many years involving numerous vintages – two from Stellenbosch, one from Elgin: Delaire Graff's Banghoek Chardonnay, also best in class and the top-scoring white wine overall at The Trophy Wine Show (SA); Tokara's Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, which in 2022 was the top-scoring wine overall at the Veritas Awards (SA); and Oak Valley Groenlandberg Chardonnay, a 5 Star laureate in Platter's SA Wine Guide for six vintages in succession. Such are their good track records that they rank among the best of the best in the 2024 SA Wine Classification.
The 2022 Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek was one of only two single-varietal Chardonnays among the Top 50 wines at the Decanter Awards, the 2021 Tokara Reserve one of only two straight Cabs in the Top 50. This after the panels comprising 243 wine experts including master sommeliers and MWs from 33 countries had blind-tasted 18 143 wines from 57 countries – France, Australia, Spain and Italy the most successful wine-producing nations in the competition.
Besides the trophy and platinum award recipients, the Decanter Awards also rewarded a number of other respected Cape cellars – see below. Some of the gold medal standouts were the multiple award-winning 2022 Bellingham Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin of Franschhoek and 2021 Chardonnay from Lothian of Elgin.
And as is often the case, there were also some discoveries at the show, including some of South Africa's best-value wines. Among them: 2022 Essay Syrah Cinsault & Grenache & Mourvèdre, scored 95 and selling at R115pb from the MAN/Lievland cellar on the Simonsberg side of Stellenbosch.
TROPHY WINNERS
Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Chardonnay 2022
R430pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
Tokara Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
R395pb ex-cellar, Helshoogte-Stellenbosch
PLATINUM LAUREATE
Oak Valley Groenlandberg Chardonnay 2022
R280pb ex-cellar, Elgin
GOLD MEDALLISTS
Bartinney Hourglass Chardonnay 2022
R495pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
Bellingham Bernard Series Old Vine Chenin Blanc Limited Release 2022
R235pb ex-producer, Franschhoek
Cederberg Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
R825pb ex-cellar, Cederberg
David Finlayson Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
R225pb ex-cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Delaire Graff Botmaskop 2021 (Red Blend)
R430pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
Ernie Els Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2022
R300pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Essay Syrah Cinsault & Grenache & Mourvèdre 2022
R115pb from Lievland cellar, Simonsberg-Stellenbosch
Graham Beck Ultra Brut 2017 (Cap Classique))
R390pb ex-cellar, Robertson
Iona Solace Syrah 2021
R430pb ex-cellar, Elgin
KWV Mentors Cabernet Franc 2021
R349pb ex-cellar, Paarl
KWV Mentors Perold 2021 (Red Blend)
R799pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Le Riche Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
R950pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Lothian Chardonnay 2021
R370pb ex-cellar, Elgin
Morgenster Estate Reserve 2016 (Red Blend)
R645pb ex-cellar, Somerset West
Nederburg Private Bin Two Centuries Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
R435pb ex-cellar, Paarl
Neil Ellis Whitehall Chardonnay 2022
R330pb ex-cellar, Helshoogte-Stellenbosch
Nicolas van der Merwe Syrah 2019
R500pb ex-cellar, Polkadraai Hills-Stellenbosch
Oldenburg Chardonnay 2023
R385pb ex-cellar, Banghoek-Stellenbosch
Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc 2023
R110pb ex-cellar, Elgin
Peter Falke Kanoa 2019 (Red Blend)
R400pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Spier Albariño 2023
Export-only, not available ex-cellar, Vlottenburg-Stellenbosch
Stark-Condé Field Blend 2023 (White Blend)
R280pb ex-cellar, Jonkershoek-Stellenbosch
Stark-Condé Oude Nektar Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
R1050pb ex-cellar, Jonkershoek-Stellenbosch
Stark-Condé Stellenbosch Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
R365pb ex-cellar, Jonkershoek-Stellenbosch
Stark-Condé Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
R625pb ex-cellar, Jonkershoek-Stellenbosch
Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
R360pb ex-cellar, Helshoogte-Stellenbosch
Uva Mira Sing-a-Wing Sauvignon Blanc 2022
R295pb ex-cellar, Helderberg-Stellenbosch
Vin de Constance 2020 (Natural Sweet)
R1400pb (500ml) from Klein Constantia cellar
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Spier Albarino 2023 (Signature range) was previously listed as selling for R85pb ex-cellar in Stellenbosch – until it was revealed that the wine was all sold to the UK retailer Majestic Wine, where it was retailing for £9.99 a bottle. Spier’s locally available Ideology Albarino 2023 is not one in the same.