KWV, Alvi’s and Du Toitskloof tops in latest value guide
THE BEST VALUE wines of South Africa are particularly topical at around this time of year on publication of the annual Best Value Wine Guide sponsored by the Ultra retail group. Orange River Cellars in Upington won the award as Best Value Winery overall in the latest competition that will culminate with the release of the book, available now in an online format. And of the Best Value award-winning wines lauded this year for their intrinsics relative to their prices, 16 stand out for rating very good or better (3½ to 5 Stars) on the quality scale:
GREAT VALUE RED WINES
At R23pb: Havana Hills Lime Road Cab Merlot Cab Franc 2008 – 4 Stars
At R30pb: Obikwa Shiraz 2011 (Distell) – 3½ Stars
At R32pb: Allee Bleue Starlette Pinotage 2011 – 3½ Stars
At R35pb: Ken Forrester Petit Pinotage 2011 – 3½ Stars
At R50pb: Groot Eiland Shiraz Pinotage 2011 – 4 Stars
GREAT VALUE WHITE WINES
At R23pb: Versus White 2012 (Co of Wine People) – 3½ Stars
At R25pb: Flutterby Sauvignon Blanc 2012 (Boland Cellar) – 3½ Stars
At R32pb: Savanha Chenin Blanc 2011 (Spier) – 4 Stars
GREAT VALUE ROSE WINE
At R21pb: Live-a-Little Rather Revealing Rose NV (Stellar Winery) – 4 Stars
GREAT VALUE FORTIFIED WINES
At R30pb: De Wet Red Muscadel 2010 – 3½ Stars
At R32pb: Bovlei Hanepoot Jerepiko NV – 4 Stars
At R35pb: Namaqua White Muscadel 2011 – 4 Stars
At R37pb: Orange River Cellars Red Jerepigo NV – 4 Stars
At R37pb: Orange River Cellars White Muscadel 2011 – 4 Stars
At R61pb: KWV Full Cream (Sherry) – 4½ Stars
At R63pb: KWV Cape Tawny (Port) – 5 Stars
The 5 Star Cape Tawny from KWV in Paarl is the most applauded wine in the guide, having also received good reviews in the SA Wine magazine, at the Veritas, Classic Wine Trophy and Decanter awards, as well as at the International Wine Challenge and the Cape Port Challenge earlier this year.
And besides the KWV Sherry, the Best Value panel of judges deemed only two other wines – in a line-up of 1 114 wines at under R80 a bottle – worthy of 4½ Stars: Du Toitskloof Hanepoot Jerepigo 2011 (R42pb) and Alvi’s Drift Chardonnay Viognier 2011 (R34pb).
It was just three years ago the 2008 vintage of this white blend from the Alvi’s Drift Wine Cellar between Worcester and Villiersdorp scooped a 5 Star rating in the local Wine magazine – which is why I wasted no time in placing an order for a case of the 2011.
For more good-value wine recommendations, click here.
