Search

Top Wine Judging Panels

Top Wine SA seeks consensus among the experts over time and in various forums, showcasing the results of respected panel tastings where the judges aren’t told the names of the wines or where they are from. Not that all scoring systems are the same: click here.

Reviews by individual critics do not have a bearing on the SA Wine and Cellar Classifications – nor do the results of various questionable wine competitions. For information about the SA wine ratings that count, see below. For examples of those that don’t, click here.

Wine ratings that mean something

Cab Franc Challenge – SA

The competition exclusively for the Cape’s Cabernet Franc producers culminates with an awards function in March/April. Of the gold medal winners, the top six single varietal wines plus the top three blends receive special praise, and in recent years a trophy has been presented for the overall winner. For more info click here.

Cap Classique Challenge – SA

The Cap Classique Challenge takes place in September every year. The competition is organised by the Cap Classique Producers Association and awards – including those for the best in each class and best overall – are presented for leading examples of bottle-fermented sparkling wines produced in South Africa according to the traditional method made famous in Champagne, France. For more info click here.

Chardonnay du Monde – France

The Forum Oenologie’s Chardonnay du Monde competition is held in March every year. The venue: Château des Ravatys, the wine estate of the Pasteur Institute at Saint Lager in the Burgundy wine region of France. The goal: to pick out the best Chardonnay wines of the world while celebrating the diversity of styles, with the winners awarded gold and silver medals, and with the Top 10 gold medallists showcased. For more info click here.

Chenin Blanc Challenge – SA

Organised by South Africa’s Chenin Blanc Association, the Chenin Blanc Challenge culminates with Top 10 awards function in August / September. An objective of the challenge is to help unlock the potential of South Africa’s most widely planted wine grape variety, and the competition winners receive prize money intended “to reinforce the economic and social benefits in the workplace”. For more info click here.

Decanter Magazine – UK

The leading British wine publication Decanter conducts various tastings during the year. A 100-point scoring system is used, with “great, exceptional and profound wine” scored 98+, “excellent wine of great complexity and character” scored 95 to 97, “very accomplished wine with impressive complexity” scored 90 to 94… For more info click here.

Decanter World Wine Awards

One of the biggest competitions of its kind, the Decanter World Wine Awards are presented in May/June. A 100-point scoring system is used, with platinum awards presented for the best of the gold medallists and scored 97+ out of 100, gold awarded for “outstanding and memorable wine” scored 95 or 96, silver medals presented for “high-quality wine of excitement and personality” scored 90 to 94… For more info click here.

Effervescents du Monde – FR

An international competition for the best sparkling wines in the world, organised by Forum Oenologie and held in November each year at Le Castel Culinary School in Dijon, France. Gold and silver medals awarded, with the Top 10 gold medal winners showcased. For more info click here.

Fine Wine Awards – South Africa

Sponsored by American Express, the competition aims to be “the largest listing of blind-tasted wines in South Africa”, a guide for South African wine lovers. The wines are blind-tasted by an independent panel of judges. Convened by wine writer Malu Lambert. For more info click here.

Gilbert & Gaillard – France

Gilbert & Gaillard’s International Wine Challenge was founded in France and now also involves the assessment of wines in Spain, Italy, South Africa and elsewhere. The media house’s global reach includes an office in Stellenbosch. Wines are judged in the country of origin according to a 100-point system, with medals awarded and 95+ denoting outstanding wine. For more info click here.

Global Fine Wine Challenge – AU

Previously branded the Six Nations Wine Challenge, a taste-off held in Sydney that focuses on many of the finest wines from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and the USA. The event involves a judge from each country on the panel which scores a line-up of wines nominated by the judges – in the case of South Africa, entry into the competition is at the invitation of leading SA wine critic Michael Fridjhon, one of the founders of this competition. Trophies, double gold and gold medals awarded. More info here.

Global Wine Masters – UK

Conducted in association with Drinks Business, Britain’s leading publication for the retail and wholesale drinks trade, the various Global Wine Masters competitions involve tasting panels comprising mainly Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers, culminating in the awarding of Master awards (97 to 100/100), gold medals (93 to 96), silver and bronze medals. For more info click here.

Int Wine & Spirit Competition

The International Wine & Spirit Competition (UK) is the longest-running wine competition in Britain with the results announced in May/June (medals), July (wine trophies) and September (producer trophies). The aim is to award excellence in wines and spirits worldwide by means of authoritative tasting panels as well as technical controls and analysis. Gold medals awarded for scores of 95+, silver for scores of 90 to 94. For more info click here.

International Wine Challenge

One of the biggest wine competitions in the world, held in the UK, it involves over 400 judges with co-chairs including Master of Wine Tim Atkin, Oz Clarke and Dr Jamie Goode. Medal winners are announced in tranches during the course of the year, with some of the trophy winners announced in May and the top trophies presented at an awards dinner in July. Gold medals awarded for scores of 95+, silver for scores of 90 to 94. For more info click here.

Muscats du Monde – France

The Forum Oenologie’s Muscats du Monde competition is held in July every year. The venue: Frontignan-la-Peyrade (Maison Voltaire) in the Languedoc Roussillon region of France. The goal: to reflect the diversity, quality and high standards of the best Muscat wines of the world. Gold and silver medals awarded, with the Top 10 gold medallists showcased. For more info click here.

National Wine Challenge – SA

The National Wine Challenge convened by online retailer BuyBetterWine (Robin von Holdt), incorporating the Top 100 SA Wines Challenge and culminating in April/May every year. Entries are assessed using a 100-point scale: a score of 91+ is required to be eligible for selection among the ‘Top 100 SA Wines’ on show – scores not published. More info here.

Perold Cape Blend Competition

The South African Pinotage Association’s annual Perold Absa Cape Blend Competition is geared towards establishing benchmarks of international quality in respect of red blends comprising between 30% and 70% Pinotage. The event takes place in September each year and what began as a somewhat controversial category has grown to include some of the country’s top wines. For more info click here.

Pinotage Rosé Awards – SA

The South African Pinotage Association’s Pinotage Rosé Awards in September were introduced to benchmark and award exceptional wines over and above the single-varietal Pinotages and Cape Blends for which South Africa is famous. For more info click here.

Platter’s SA Wine Guide

For a 5 Star rating (95/100 or higher) equating to ‘Superlative / a South African Classic’ in Platter’s book published in November / December, the wines scored 93 points or more in the primary assessment by individual critics (labels in sight) are included in a second round of scoring by different tasters (without sight of the label). For more info click here.

SA Terroir Wine Awards

The South African Terroir Wine Awards in July are presented by the SA National Wine Show Association. The competition was created to promote the various types of terroir in the Cape. All entries must be certified as originating from a specific (single) vineyard, estate, ward or small district not divided into wards. For more info click here.

Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 Awards

The Sauvignon Blanc SA Top 10 Awards are presented by industry body Sauvignon Blanc South Africa, with the results (including the Top 10 runners-up) announced in September / October each year. For more info click here.

Shiraz SA Challenge

The association representing South African Shiraz producers hosts an annual competition in May/June which culminates in the announcement of 12 winning Shiraz wines as well as winning Shiraz-led blends and Rosé wines made from Shiraz grapes. For more info click here.

Sparkling Wine World Champs

The Champagne & Sparkling Wine World Championships held in London every July involves a panel of specialist judges chaired by Tom Stevenson (UK) focusing on bubblies from around the globe. Champagnes of France, Cap Classiques from South Africa, Cavas from Spain, Proseccos from Italy and numerous other sparklers compete for gold and silver medals as well as various national and international trophies. For more info click here.

Syrah du Monde – France

The Forum Oenologie’s Syrah du Monde competition is held in May every year at Château d’Ampuis in the village of Ampuis in the northern Rhône Valley, France. The goal: to pick out the best Shiraz/Syrah wines of the world on the basis of their intrinsic quality. Gold and silver medals awarded, with the Top 10 gold medallists showcased. For more info click here.

TexSom Wine Awards – USA

The TexSom International Wine Awards bring the US industry together to identify and champion wines of quality and distinction from around the world. The awards include: judges’ selection, platinum medal, gold medal… For more info click here.

Top 10 Merlot Competition – SA

The Top 10 Merlot Competition, organised by the South African Merlot Forum (also known as ‘Hallo Merlot’) and held in June, aims to highlight the exceptional quality of top Cape Merlot. In recent years, the awards have included applause for the overall winner. For more info click here.

Top 10 Pinotage Competition

The South African Pinotage Association’s Top 10 Pinotage Competition in August / September is geared towards establishing benchmarks of international quality in respect of this uniquely South African variety, with the Top 10 runners-up also commended. For more info click here.

Trophy Wine Show – SA

The annual Trophy Wine Show is a national competition convened by leading wine critic Michael Fridjhon that recognises South Africa’s top local wines and winemakers. Judging takes place in May, with the top award winners showcased a month later at public and private tastings around the country. A 100-point scoring system is used: trophies awarded for the top-scoring gold medallists; gold medals awarded for 95+ (superlative, world class); silver medals awarded for 90 to 94 points (excellent, wine of distinction); bronze medals awarded for 85 to 89 points (good to very good). For more info click here.

Veritas Awards – South Africa

The SA Wine Show Association’s major competition culminates with the Veritas Awards in October every year. The aim: to recognise wines of exceptional quality, providing connoisseurs with an authoritative guideline. Double gold (93+ out of 100), gold (90 to 92) and other medals awarded, culminating with the Vertex Award for the overall champion wine and followed by public tastings of the top performers – scores not published. For more info click here.

Winemag.co.za – South Africa

The various reports and awards on Winemag.co.za are pitched as category analyses and usually involve wines assembled on the basis of competition entries. Editor and panel chair: Christian Eedes. Scoring involves a 100-point system: 96 to 100 for “extraordinary, profound”, 93 to 95 for “outstanding”, 90 to 92 for “excellent”… For more info click here.