OF THE 61 entries from the 48 producers who submitted their wines for assessment in the 2024 Prescient Cabernet Sauvignon Report published by Winemag.co.za, 28 rated 90 points or more on a 100-point scale. However, only eight wines scored 93 or 94 and not one of South Africa's Cabs on the tasting bench was considered special enough for a rating of 95+. Nothing extraordinary. This was the collective opinion of the judging panel comprising Winemag's Christian Eedes (chair), CEO of Cape Town merchant Wine Cellar, James Pietersen, and wine/hospitality specialist Francois Rautenbach. Were they being too conservative/mean on the day?
The Best Overall of the outstanding 94-pointers, felt the panel, was Tokara Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 from GT Ferreira's farm on the foothills of the Simonsberg in Stellenbosch. A wine with a record as one of the most highly rated South African Cabs across a span of vintages over the years, and a choice supported by the results of the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards earlier in the year, when the same vintage won a trophy for Tokara with a score of 97 points! Perhaps they were being too generous…
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