IN SUMMARY… South Africa's White Wines of the Year, Sparkling Cap Classiques of the Year and SA Red Wines of the Year in 2021 – as well as the SA Dessert Wines and SA Port-Style Wines of the Year… Some accolades carry more weight than others, and there's something to be said for a wine that ticks the boxes for a number of top tasting panels. Over 1500 South African wines were highly rated locally and/or internationally in 2021, and the following are those that received the most glowing reviews of the year.
• For details of the awards and ratings in this regard, as well as the cellar-door prices, click on the links above.
SA White Wines of the Year 2021
CHARDONNAY
• Arendskloof 2020 (Eagle's Cliff)
• Bouchard Finlayson Crocodile's Lair 2019
• Creation Art of 2020
• De Grendel Op die Berg 2020
• De Wetshof Bateleur 2018
• De Wetshof Finesse 2020
• Groot Constantia 2019
• Oak Valley Tabula Rasa South Ridge CY95 2018
• Paul Cluver Seven Flags 2018
• Rustenberg Five Soldiers 2019
CHENIN BLANC
• Bellingham Bernard Series Old Vine 2019, 2020
• Bosman Optenhorst 2019
• Cederberg Five Generations 2020
• Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Old Bush Vine 2020
• Mentors 2019 (KWV)
• Mev Kirsten 2020 (Sadie Family)
• Mullineux Granite 2020
• Rall Ava 2020
• Spier 21 Gables 2020
• Stellenrust Barrel Fermented 2020
• Stellenrust Old Bush Vine 2020
RIESLING
• Jordan Real McCoy 2020
SAUVIGNON BLANC
• Bellevue 2021
• Buitenverwachting Hussey's Vlei 2020
• Diemersdal Journal 2020
• Flagstone Free Run Reserve 2020
• Ghost Corner 2020 (Cederberg)
• Ghost Corner Wild Ferment 2019 (Cederberg)
• Groote Post Seasalter 2019
• Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sur Lie 2020
• Our Darling Pledge 2020 (Le Grand Domaine)
• Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin 2020
SEMILLON
• Benguela Cove Catalina 2019
• Cape of Good Hope Laing Groendruif 2020 (Rupert)
• Old Road Grand-mére 2017
WHITE BLENDS
• Cape Point Isliedh 2020
• Constantia Glen Two 2019
• Delaire Graff White Reserve 2018
• Flagstone Treaty Tree Reserve 2018
• Stark-Condé Field Blend 2020
• Tokara Director's Reserve 2018
• Vergelegen G.V.B 2019
SA Bubblies of the Year 2021
CAP CLASSIQUE
• Babylonstoren Sprankel 2016
• Benguela Cove Joie de Vivre Brut 2017
• Boschendal Jean Le Long Prestige Cuvée Blanc de Blancs 2009
• Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs 2016
• Graham Beck Cuvée Clive 2015, 2017
• Graham Beck Pinot Noir Rosé 2017
• Kleine Zalze Vintage Brut 2015
• Mariëtte Chardonnay Brut 2015 (Le Belle Rebelle)
• Newstead Brut 2016
• Paul René Chardonnay Brut 2017 (Wonderfontein)
• Quoin Rock Black Series 2014
• Weltevrede Philip Jonker The Ring Brut 2013
SA Red Wines of the Year 2021
CABERNET FRANC
• Mentors 2018 (KWV)
• Thokozani 2019 (Diemersfontein)
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
• Boekenhoutskloof Stellenbosch 2019
• Cederberg Five Generations 2018
• Flagstone Music Room 2018
• Le Riche Reserve 2018
• Muratie Martin Melck Family Reserve 2017
• Nederburg Private Bin Two Centuries 2017
• Niel Joubert Reserve 2015
• Oldenburg Rondekop Per Se 2019
• Tokara Reserve Collection 2018
• Vergelegen Reserve 2015
GRENACHE NOIR
• Dunstone Reserve 2018
MERLOT
• Holden Manz Reserve 2018
• Shannon Black 2017
PINOT NOIR
• Benguela Cove Vinography 2019
• Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak 2019
• Lothian 2020
PINOTAGE
• Diemersdal Journal 2019
• Diemersdal Reserve 2019
• Francois van Niekerk 2019
• Rooiberg Reserve 2019
• Stellenbosch ‘1679' 2019 (Koelenhof)
SHIRAZ / SYRAH
• Boschkloof Epilogue 2019
• Cederberg Shiraz 2018
• De Grendel Elim Shiraz 2019
• Flagstone Dark Horse Shiraz 2017
• Glen Carlou Syrah 2019
• Kruger Family Reserve Shiraz 2017 (Stellenview)
• Mount Sutherland Syrah 2018 (Super Single Vyds)
• Mullineux Granite Syrah 2019
• Old Road 12 Mile Syrah 2018
• Sons of Sugarland Syrah 2020 (Boschkloof)
• Stellenbosch Vineyards Credo Shiraz 2018
• Strandveld Syrah 2019
• Trizanne Reserve Syrah 2019
• Van Loggerenberg Graft 2020
RED BLENDS
• Aslina Umsasane 2019
• Beyerskloof Faith 2019
• Buitenverwacthing Meifort 2018
• Columella 2019 (Sadie Family)
• Constantia Glen Five 2017
• Endura Winemaker's Selection Cape Blend 2017 (Perdeberg)
• Glenelly Lady May 2017
• Marianne Floreal 2018
• Mentors Canvas 2018 (KWV)
• Mentors Perold 2017, 2018 (KWV)
• Rust en Vrede 1694 Classification 2018
• Saronsberg Full Circle 2019
• Saronsberg Seismic 2018
• Sijnn Red 2018
• Spier Creative Block 5 2018
• Stellenbosch ‘1679' Legacy 2017 (Koelenhof)
• Tokara Director's Reserve 2018
SA Sweet Wines of the Year 2021
UNFORTIFIED DESSERT
• Boekenhoutskloof Noble Late Harvest 2018
• Boschendal Vin D'Or Noble Late Harvest 2018
• Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet 2017
• Meerhof Mooistrooi 2020, 2021 (Straw Wine)
• Nederburg Noble Late Harvest 2019
• Paul Cluver Riesling Noble Late Harvest 2020
• Savage Not Tonight Josephine 2020 (Straw Wine)
CAPE PORT
• Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve 2017
• KWV Cape Tawny NV
