BASED ON THE BEST track records in over 30 local and international forums for the assessment of wine quality and interest value over the past 10 years, the South African Wine & Cellar Classifications celebrate the country’s leading outfits – those regularly on top form, their product judged top-notch again and again, year after year.

To be eligible for the Classification, updated annually since 2004, wines of the Cape must have earned very good to excellent reviews from at least one of the top judging panels for at least three vintages during the 10-year period under review – between 2008 and 2017 (inclusive) for the 2018 Classification. The critics include experts appointed for the Decanter World Wine Awards (UK), the International Wine Challenge (UK) and IWSC (UK), Platter’s SA Wine Guide (5 Stars and Highly Recommended), the Six Nations Challenge (AU), the Trophy Wine Show (SA), the Veritas Awards (SA) and the Michelangelo awards (SA) – to mention just some of the panels – and it is the number of top-rated vintages as well as the type of accolades that determine Top 10 and Top 20 status among South Africa’s most fancied wines in terms of the Classification.

Newcomers and resurgent champions in the Top Wine SA Hall of Fame – showcasing wines that have received very good ratings for at least eight releases/vintages during the past 10 years – include Botanica Chenin Blanc, DeMorgenzon Reserve Chenin, Flagstone Writer’s Block Pinotage, Ghost Corner Semillon, KWV The Mentors Orchestra (Red Blend), Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Mullineux Straw Wine, Mvemve Raats De Compostella (Red Blend), Shannon Mount Bullet (Merlot), Spier 21 Gables Chenin Blanc, Strandveld Adamastor (White Blend), Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve Pinotage.

And among those producers joining the ranks of the Top 20 South African wineries in the 2018 SA Cellar Classification are DeMorgenzon and Stellenrust of Stellenbosch.

Highlights of the 2018 SA Wine & Cellar Classifications celebrating the most consistently good wines of the various types produced in South Africa are given below in alphabetical order. For the full Classifications, see here – also available on request via email to mike@topwinesa.com

Highlights of 2018 SA Wine Classification

The top track records in the major wine categories over the past 10 years – 2008 TO 2017. Where there are more than 10 wines included in the Top 10 Classifications there was a tie for 10^th place.

TOP 10 SA CHARDONNAY
Chamonix Reserve
Groot Constantia
Hamilton Russell
Jordan Barrel Fermented
Jordan Nine Yards
Oak Valley Groenlandberg
Paul Cluver Estate
Rustenberg Five Soldiers
Rustenberg Stellenbosch
Tokara Reserve Collection Stellenbosch

TOP 10 SA CHENIN BLANC
Beaumont Hope Marguerite
Bellingham The Bernard Series Old Vine
Botanica
DeMorgenzon Reserve
Jordan Inspector Péringuey
Kanu KCB
Ken Forrester The FMC
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection
Spier 21 Gables
Stellenrust Barrel Fermented

TOP 10 SA SAUVIGNON BLANC
Cape Point Reserve
Cederberg
D’Aria The Songbird
Diemersdal Eight Rows
Diemersdal MM Louw
Ghost Corner
Graham Beck Pheasants’ Run
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sur Lie
Nederburg Auction Reserve Private Bin D234
Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin

TOP 10 SA WHITE BLENDS
Cape Point Isliedh
Flagstone Treaty Tree
Miles Mossop Saskia
Nederburg Ingenuity
Nitida Coronata Integration
Sadie Palladius
Spier Creative Block 2
Strandveld Adamastor
Tokara Director’s Reserve
Vergelegen G.V.B

TOP 10 SA CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Cederberg Five Generations
Eikendal
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered
Guardian Peak Lapa
Kanonkop
Le Riche Reserve
Nederburg Auction Res Private Bin R163
Nederburg Two Centuries
Rustenberg Peter Barlow
Stark-Condé Three Pines

TOP 10 SA MERLOT
Anura Reserve
De Grendel
Dieu Donné
Eikendal
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered
Groot Constantia
La Petite Ferme
Laibach Claypot
Shannon Mount Bullet
Steenberg
Whalehaven

TOP 10 SA PINOT NOIR
Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak
Bouchard Finlayson Tête de Cuvée
Chamonix Reserve
Creation Reserve
Crystallum Cuvée Cinéma
Hamilton Russell
Meerlust
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards
Paul Cluver Estate
Paul Cluver Seven Flags

TOP 10 PINOTAGE
Beyerskloof Diesel
Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Reserve
Flagstone Writer’s Block
Kanonkop
Rijk’s Private Cellar
Rijk’s Reserve
Simonsig Redhill
Spier 21 Gables
Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve
Windmeul Reserve

TOP 10 SA SHIRAZ / SYRAH
Boekenhoutskloof
Cederberg
De Grendel
Eagles’ Nest
Groot Constantia
Hartenberg The Stork
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve
KWV The Mentors
Rustenberg Buzzard Kloof
Saronsberg

TOP 10 SA RED BLENDS
Delaire Graff Botmaskop
Ernie Els Signature
Kanonkop Paul Sauer
KWV The Mentors Orchestra
La Motte Pierneef Syrah Viognier
Mvemve Raats De Compostella
Saronsberg Full Circle
Spier Creative Block 3
Spier Creative Block 5
Tokara Director’s Reserve

TOP 10 SPARKLING CAP CLASSIQUE
Bon Courage Jacques Bruére Blanc de Blancs
Bon Courage Jacques Bruére Brut Reserve
Boschendal Grande Cuvée Brut
Desiderius Pongrácz
Domaine des Dieux Claudia Brut
Graham Beck Brut Blanc de Blancs
Klein Constantia Brut
Laborie Blanc de Blancs
Simonsig Cuvée Royale Blanc de Blancs
Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut
Villiera Monro Brut

TOP 10 SA UNFORTIFIED DESSERT
Delheim Edelspatz Noble Late Harvest
Fairview La Beryl Blanc
Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest
Groot Constantia Grand Constance
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet
Mullineux Straw Wine
Nederburg Auction Reserve Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc Noble Late Harvest
Nederburg Auction Reserve Private Bin Eminence Noble Late Harvest Muscadel
Nederburg The Winemasters Noble Late Harvest
Paul Cluver Riesling Noble Late Harvest

TOP 10 SA FORTIFIED DESSERT
Alvi’s Drift Muscat de Frontignan
Bon Courage Red Muscadel
Bon Courage White Muscadel
Du Toitskloof Hanepoot Jerepigo
Merwida White Muscadel
Nuy Red Muscadel
Nuy White Muscadel
Orange River Cellars Red Muscadel
Orange River Cellars White Muscadel
Slanghoek Red Muscadel

TOP 10 CAPE PORT
Axe Hill Cape Vintage
Boplaas Cape Tawny NV
Boplaas Cape Vintage
Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve
De Krans Cape Tawny NV
De Krans Cape Vintage
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve
Delaire Graff Cape Vintage
KWV Cape Tawny NV
Landskroon Cape Vintage

Top 20 SA Wine Cellars Overall – 2018 Classification

The top 20 wine producer track records over the past 10 years – 2008 TO 2017. The SA Cellar Classification is based on the ratings of wines that are unfortified, i.e. with no spirit added.

Cape Point Vineyards
Cederberg Private Cellar
Chamonix
DeMorgenzon
Eagles’ Nest
Fleur du Cap (Bergkelder)
Groot Constantia Estate
Hamilton Russell Vineyards
Jordan Wine Estate
Kanonkop Wine Estate
Klein Constantia Estate
Kleine Zalze
La Motte
Nederburg
Paul Cluver Wines
Rustenberg Wines
Saronsberg
Stellenrust
Tokara
Vergelegen Estate

For the Top Wine SA Hall of Fame, showcasing those South African wines that have received top accolades – gold medal standard or better – from the top tasting panels locally and/or internationally for at least eight vintages within a 10-year span of vintages rated during the past 10 years (2008 to 2017), see here or click on the tab below.