Europe, the Americas, Oceania and even Asia are all wine regions that we are very familiar with, but when it comes to South Africa in Africa, most people are less familiar with it. This so-called "niche" region doesn't produce much, accounting for only about 3% of the world's total production, but it is one of the world's 6 most famous wine regions! South African wines are extremely cost-effective, and if the same quality wine is placed in the United States, the price may be 2-3 times that of South Africa!
Want to try a South African wine but don't know how to choose it? Just ask me!
Master winemaker Tim Atkin MW, based on the 1855 Bordeaux winery classification, published the 2017 South African Winery Rating on his personal website timatkin.com, with a total of 20 wineries selected as First Growths. The 20 wineries are ranked in no particular order, so let's take a look at them in alphabetical order:
AA Badenhorst Winery Badenhorst
AA Badenhorst winery
Founded in 2008 by winemaker Andre Adriaan Badenhorst and his cousin in Swartland, AA Badartst owns a 28-hectare old vine vineyard in the Siebritskloof region of paardeberg mountain.
The vineyard soil contains 3 different types of granite as well as clay and leaf rocks, and a large number of Chenin Blanc, Cinsaut and Grenache grape varieties were planted in the 1950s and 1960s. AA Badenhorst Winery is known for producing premium blended wines using traditional and natural methods of winemaking.
The wines consist of 3 collections, namely the classic AA Badenhorst Château Dry Red and Dry White, the entry-level Secateurs series and the Single Garden series. Among them, AA Badenhorst Winery "The Golden Slopes" (The Golden Slopes) single garden White Shi Nangan White has received a 95 point from Tim Atkin for two consecutive years.
Alheit Winery
Château Allheit "cartography" is dry
Château Allheit is a winery specializing in dry whites, with vineyards in 8 appellations, including Seyrfberg, Piekenierskloof and Paderberg Mountain. The winery is grown in a way that respects nature, using natural yeast and using no additives other than the addition of a small amount of sulfur dioxide before bottling to ensure that the wine is in a stable state inside the bottle.
Château Allheit is to produce an elegant, light and powerful dry white. There are currently 9 dry whites produced by the winery, the representative of which is Alheit Cartology, a traditional Cape Town dry white, selected from over 30 years old vine grapes, each vintage is very outstanding. Its 2011 vintage received a high score of 97 from Tim Atkin.
Bislar Winery Beeslaar
Pinotagi dry red at Bislar Winery
Abrie Beeslaar, owner and winemaker of Bislar Winery, a former winemaker at Kanonkop, was named Winemaker of the Year by Tim Atkin in 2015. Château Bislar produces only 1 wine, using Pinotage, an iconic South African variety. This variety was once mainly used to produce cheap wines, and in recent years it has gradually moved to the high-end market.
Beeslaar Pinotage is one of the most popular Pinotagine reds, with its 2015 vintage receiving a 92 from Wine Enthusiast and a high score of 98 from Tim Atkin.
Boekenhoutskloof
Buchan hoskruf Winery "Chocolate Block" series
Located in the Franschhoek Valley, The Buchanhos krooff Winery was founded in 1776 and is one of the oldest wineries in South Africa. Since 1993, international varieties such as Syrah, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon have been grown in the winery's approximately 20 hectares of vineyards.
Currently, Château Buchenholskroof has four different wine collections, namely the crested Porcupine series, the entry-level "The Wolftrap" series, the progressive "The 7 Chairs" series and the "Chocolate Block" series made from old vine grapes. Its 2013 "chocolate block" Syrah dry red won the Bronze Medal at the Decanter World Wine Competition in 2015.
Chatmonix Winery
Shemoni Winery "Grévick" Pino Taji dry red
Located in the Franschhoek Valley appellation, Château Shemoni vineyards cover approximately 50 hectares, including some of the highest vines in the Western Cape plot. Based on the principle of environmental protection and minimization of human intervention, the winery is hand-picked and brewed in a traditional way, resulting in a natural and pure wine.
Among the wineries' rich range, Chamonix Greywacke Pinotage is the most unique, leaving a portion of the grapes at harvest that are naturally air-dried on the vines, which are then added to the fermented liquor for secondary fermentation, and finally aged for 2 years in 30% new French barrels. The 2010 vintage received Platter's South African Wine Guide with a 5-star rating.
Crystal winery Crystallum
Crystal Winery Clay Shale Single Garden Chardonnay Dry White
The Finlayson brothers, a boutique winery in Walker Bay, were the first winemaker to brew Pinot Noir in the Hemel-en-Aarde region. The Crystal Winery mainly produces Burgundy-style wines, with the goal of producing wines that are classic Old World styles but still reflect the New World terroir.
The Château Crystal wines include 4 single-garden dry reds from Crystallum Peter Max, Crystallum Cuvee Cinema, Crystallum Bona Fide, Crystallum Mabalel, and 2 Crystallum Agnes) and Crystallum Clay Shales Chardonnay dry white. Among them, crystal winery clay shale single garden Chardonnay dry white has received a high score of 95 points from Tim Atkin for three consecutive years.
David with Nadia Winery David & Nadia
David and Nadia Winery Introductory Series
The David & Nadia Winery is located in the Black Estate district and was purchased by David and Nadia in 2013. David graduated in viticulture and winemaking, while Nadia studied soil science and viticulture. They believe that only by respecting the soil and vineyards can the quality of wine be revealed. Therefore, they focused on the vineyard, minimizing manual intervention in the winemaking process.
The winery currently has three wine collections, namely the entry-level David & Nadia series, the advanced Topography series and the high-end Single vineyards series. One of the most popular entry-level collections, David & Nadia aristargos, blended dry white 2014, received a 5-star rating from the Pratt South African Wine Guide.
Delaire Graff
Dreyer Graff Winery "Lawrence Graff" has a collection of dry reds
The Delaire Graff winery is located in the Stellenbosch region and was purchased by Laurence Graff in 2008. The winery has 20 hectares of vineyards growing Bordeaux grape varieties. The Delaire Graff Laurence Graff Reserve, named after the owner's name "Lawrence Graff", is a wine with a rich and mature flavour, delicate tannins and long aftertaste, the 2015 vintage received a 93-point rating from Tim Atkin.
Cannonland Winery Kanonkop
Cannon Land Winery Black Label Pinault Taghi Dry Red
Founded in 1973, The Land of Cannons is a typical family-run winery, and its founder, JW Sauer, was then a Cabinet Minister to the South African Parliament, and has been passed down from generation to generation in its fourth generation. Located on the low slopes of the Simonsberg Mountains between Stellenbosch and Paarl, the winery is known as the "Red Wine Bowl".
One of the first producers to be known for making Pinotag dry red, 50% of its approximately 100 hectares of vineyards are planted with Pinotagy, which is more than 50 years old, in addition to international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. The Cannonlands winery has always adhered to the traditional fermentation process, producing wines in a classic and elegant Old World style, and its flagship wine is kanonkop black label Pinotage made entirely of old vines, which is very popular with consumers, and its 2015 vintage received a score of 97 from Tim Atkin and a score of 95 from Alcohol.
Keermont Winery Keermont
Komon Winery "Tess" blends dried white
Located under the patronage of Guardian Peak in the Stellenbosch appellation, Château Kemon was founded in 2003 by the Wraith family. The vineyards of Château Kemon cover an area of nearly 27 hectares, with a rich laterite topsoil and deep soil dominated by sand and quartz sandstone, which contains a large number of minerals. A variety of grape varieties such as Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Bai Shi Nan are grown. The winery does not undergo any filtration or purification, preferring a natural way of brewing, aiming to produce wines that reflect the characteristics of the terroir and vintage.
The winery currently produces a total of nine wines, the most popular of which is the Keermont Terresse blend of dry whites, which was produced by Wine Lovers and Tim Atkin 93 in 2014.
Château Kershaw
Château Kershaw Elgin Chardonnay dry white
Founded in 2012 by master winemaker Richard Kershaw MW, Château Kershaw is located in The Elgin Valley, South Africa's coolest wine region. The Vineyards of Château Cochau are dominated by sand and gravel and are well drained. Based on the local terroir and climatic characteristics, Richard Kershaw rigorously selects the most suitable cloned grape varieties and is committed to producing world-class wines.
Château Kershaw's wines are dominated by Chardonnay and Syrah, represented by Chardonnay dry white and Syrah dry red from the Kershaw Elgin series, which was listed by Alcohol Magazine as one of the 10 Greatest Chardonnay dry whites in the world (outside the Burgundy appellation).
Château Klein Constantia
Château Clétania is naturally sweet and white in the Constanian style
Located in the Constantia Valley, Château Kletania is the oldest vineyard collection in south Africa's Cape of Good Hope region. The region began to develop its winemaking industry in 1689, and the Constanilian-style wines produced by château Cretanya in the 18th century were appreciated by many European rulers and aristocrats, including Napoleon.
Château Kletania's vineyards are close to the South Pacific, and the microclimate formed by the oceans and mountains creates excellent conditions for the production of high-quality wines. Its winemaking philosophy of putting quality first and its unique style have also brought it numerous awards. Among his many wines, the most legendary Klein Constantia Vin de Constance and the superior Sauvignon Blanc are the most famous.
Mullineux, a Marino winery
Marino Winery "Schist" Syrah Dry Red
Located in the Black Estates district, Château Marino is a family-owned winery where the owners, Chris and Andrea, worked at Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards. In 2007, newlyweds moved to the Riebeek Kasteel region and started their own winery. The vineyards cover a total area of 7 hectares but are spread over 21 different plots. Marino Winery respects nature, understands the terroir and places extremely high demands on quality. The winery's top-end wines are 2 Syrah reds called "Mullineux Granite" and "Mullineux Schist", each producing only 100 cases per year. Among them, the 2017 "Schist" Sira Dry Red once received a 95 points from Tim Atkin.
Newton Johnson Winery Newton Johnson
Newton Johnson Winery Family Single Garden Pinot Noir Dry Red
Located in Walker Bay, Newton Johnson Winery was founded in the 1970s by Dave Newton Johnson and his wife. The vineyard soils of Newton Johnson vineyards are mainly composed of granite, quartz and clay, growing international varieties such as Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Syrah. Among its many wines, The Newton Johnson Family Vineyards is the most popular Pinot Noir, which has received a high score of 95 from Tim Atkin in several vintages and a gold medal in the International Wine Challenge for its 2013 vintage.
Paul Cluver Winery
Paul Cruver Winery "Seven Flags" Chardonnay dry white
Paul Kluver Winery is a family-owned winery in elgin valley that adheres to sustainable cultivation and is committed to producing world-class wines that reflect the cool climate and terroir of elgin valley. The Paul Kluffer vineyards have an average elevation of between 300 and 400 metres above sea level, and the large temperature difference between day and night allows the grapes to accumulate more phenols and retain higher acidity, which is the more complex taste of the wines they produce. Its 2016 vintage of "The Seven Flags" series Chardonnay Dry White won the Platinum Award at the 2017 World Wine Competition.
Porsche Berg winery Porscheeinberg
Boselinenberg Winery Syrah dry red
The Boselinenberg winery is located in the Blackfield district and was founded in 2009. Owner and winemaker Callie Louw sees her family as a farmer who focuses on the management of the vineyard. With around 36 hectares of vineyards, the soil in the vineyard is dominated by shale and huge stones, which is very challenging. Currently, the winery vineyards are mainly planted with Syrah and Grenache. The winery's finest wines come from its single, organically grown vineyard, and its Porseleinberg Syrah has received a 95th from Wine Spectator.
Lahr Winery Call
Château Lal dry white
Founded in 2008, owner and winemaker Donovan Rall graduated from Stellenbosch University with a degree in viticulture and winemaking. Donovan is a brilliant winemaker who specializes in small, ancient vineyards and combines his excellent winemaking techniques with the local environment, and his 2016 vintage Rall White is one of the "Dry Whites of the Year" in Tim Atkin's South African Wine Report 2017.
Les River Winery Restless River
Les River Winery Ava Marie Chardonnay Dry White
Les River Winery is located in the Hemel-en-Aarde Valley and is run by the Wessels Family. The winery vineyard features the oldest Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay in the Hermelena Valley. This family-owned boutique winery respects the terroir and is all artificially grown and brewed, so the annual output is small. The couple's Chardonnay Dry White, named after their daughter Ava Marie, is the winery's epitome, and its 2017 vintage was named "Wine of the Year" by Pletter's Guide in 2020.
Renécé Château Reyneke
Château Renecke Cabernet Sauvignon treasures dry red
Located in the Stellenbosch appellation, Château Renéke was biodynamically certified in 2004 and is a renowned organic and biodynamic winery in South Africa. In 2013, the authoritative wine magazine Wine Lover named it "New World Winery of the Year", and its winemaker Rudiger Gretschel was awarded "World's Best Winemaker" in 2015. Of its many organic or biodynamic wines, the flagship Renéke Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve's 2015 vintage received a 95-point rating from Tim Atkin.
Sadie Family, a Sedy Family winery
The Seti family winery "Columera" is dry red
Eben Sadie, the founder and winemaker of the Seti family winery, was widely praised for his first vintage in 2000, making him one of the most sought-after young winemakers of the time. The winery has only 7 hectares of vineyards and is biodynamically grown, resulting in extremely low grape yields. Currently, the flagship of the Seti Family Winery is sadie Family Columella, a blend of Syrah and Mourvedre grapes from 8 different vineyards that received a high score of 98 from Tim Atkin in its 2017 vintage.
It has to be said that many of these 20 first-class estates respect nature, using organic or biodynamic methods to grow and make wine. Many of the best South African wineries are small in size and focused on their own vineyards, turning a deaf ear to the outside world. With excellent quality, small yield and affordable price, who wouldn't want such a wine?
【Drinking Friends Topic Area】
Which delicious South African wine have you ever drunk?