Prices of Top 100 SA wines vary big time – even within each class

ACCORDING to Vinpro, an organisation representing thousands of farmers and hundreds of cellars in South Africa, the industry is at a turning point in 2018, faced with the smallest grape crop since 2005 and increasing financial pressure. The national vineyard is in decline – mainly due to farmers uprooting vines and replacing them with more profitable crops, but also because of the ongoing drought as well as crop losses in the wake of frost and hail. The industry is anticipating a R700-million shortfall at a time when production costs have doubled over the past 10 years. A wine shortage is forecast and wine prices are expected to rise – a phenomenon also affecting Europe where crops are the smallest in decades following frost damage, heat waves and fires. During his annual state of the industry review, Vinpro MD Rico Basson went so far as to advocate higher prices, and value growth. Full report here.

Soooo… With most cellar-door prices set to undergo an annual general adjustment in March, it could be interesting to see whether the increases are higher than usual in any particular sector or if there is a spike across the board. In the meantime, here is where things stand as regards the country’s Top 100 most highly rated wines on the basis of the 2018 SA Wine Classification – the bottle prices saying as much about brand strength and limited availability as they do about the aspirations (or folly?) on the part of certain producers less famous (or brazen?) than others. (The names of towns and areas pertain to the locations of the cellars, which are sometimes different to where the grapes for these wines are grown).

Top SA White Wines – 2008 to 2017

CHARDONNAY

Ataraxia @ R250 – Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge
Chamonix Reserve @ R350 – Franschhoek
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered @ R130 – Stellenbosch
Glen Carlou @ R108 – Paarl, Simonsberg
Groot Constantia @ R201 – Constantia
Hamilton Russell @ R395 – Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
Jordan Barrel Fermented @ R160 – Stellenbosch Kloof
Jordan Nine Yards @ R390 – Stellenbosch Kloof
Mulderbosch Barrel Fermented @ R200 – Stellenbosch, Polkadraai Hills
Oak Valley Groenlandberg @ R190 – Elgin
Paul Cluver Estate @ R220 – Elgin
Rustenberg Five Soldiers @ R400 – Stellenbosch, Simonsberg
Rustenberg Stellenbosch @ R175 – Stellenbosch, Simonsberg
Sumaridge @ R245 – Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
Tokara Reserve Collection Stellenbosch @ R180 – Stellenbosch, Simonsberg
Uva Mira The Single Tree @ R450 – Stellenbosch, Helderberg

CHENIN BLANC

Beaumont Hope Marguerite @ R270 – Bot River
Botanica @ R289 – Stellenbosch, Devon Valley
DeMorgenzon Reserve @ R350 – Stellenbosch Kloof
Kanu KCB @ R110 – Stellenbosch
Ken Forrester The FMC @ R482 – Somerset West, Helderberg
Spier 21 Gables @ R185 – Stellenbosch
Stellenrust Barrel Fermented @ R163 – Stellenbosch

SAUVIGNON BLANC

Cape Point Reserve @ R155 – Noordhoek
Cederberg @ R95 – Cederberg
Diemersdal Eight Rows @ R135 – Durbanville
Ghost Corner @ R190 – Cederberg
Graham Beck Pheasants’ Run @ R225 – Robertson
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sur Lie @ R178 – Stellenbosch
Nederburg Private Bin D234 @ Auction – Paarl
Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin @ R135 – Stellenbosch, Simonsberg

WHITE BLENDS

Cape Point Isliedh @ R235 – Noordhoek
Flagstone Treaty Tree Sauvignon Blanc Semillon Reserve @ R
120 – Somerset West
Miles Mossop Saskia @ R257 – Stellenbosch
Nederburg Ingenuity @ R220 – Paarl
Nitida Coronata Integration @ R150 – Durbanville
Sadie Palladius @ R614 – Swartland, Malmesbury, Paardeberg
Spier Creative Block 2 @ R95 – Stellenbosch
Strandveld Adamastor @ R155 – Cape Agulhas, Elim
Tokara Director’s Reserve @ R260 – Stellenbosch, Simonsberg
Vergelegen G.V.B  @ R360 – Somerset West, Helderberg

SPARKLING CAP CLASSIQUE

Villiera Monro Brut @ R200 – Stellenbosch, Koelenhof

Top SA Red Wines – 2008 to 2017

CABERNET FRANC

Raats Family @ R475 – Stellenbosch
Warwick @ R320 – Stellenbosch, Simonsberg

CABERNET SAUVIGNON

Cederberg Five Generations @ R480 – Cederberg
Eikendal @ R169 – Stellenbosch, Helderberg
Fleur du Cap Unfiltered @ R155 – Stellenbosch
Guardian Peak Lapa @ R240 – Stellenbosch, Helderberg
Kanonkop @ R370 – Stellenbosch, Simonsberg
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve @ R335 – Stellenbosch
Le Riche Reserve @ R500 – Stellenbosch, Helderberg
Nederburg Private Bin R163Auction – Paarl
Nederburg Two Centuries @ R385 – Paarl
Rustenberg Peter Barlow @ R400 – Stellenbosch, Simonsberg
Stark-Condé Three Pines @ R325 – Stellenbosch, Jonkershoek Valley

MERLOT

Shannon Mount Bullet @ R350 – Elgin

PINOT NOIR

Chamonix Reserve @ R370 – Franschhoek
Hamilton Russell @ R440 – Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards @ R325 – Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley
Paul Cluver Seven Flags @ R550 – Elgin

PINOTAGE

Beyerskloof Diesel @ R625 – Stellenbosch, Koelenhof
Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Reserve @ R199 – Wellington
Flagstone Writer’s Block @ R250 – Somerset West
Kanonkop @ R350 – Stellenbosch, Simonsberg
Rijk’s Private Cellar @ R225 – Tulbagh
Rijk’s Reserve @ R425 – Tulbagh
Simonsig Redhill @ R320 – Stellenbosch, Koelenhof
Wildekrans Barrel Select Reserve @ R297 – Bot River
Windmeul Reserve @ R120 – Paarl

SHIRAZ / SYRAH

Boekenhoutskloof @ R450 – Franschhoek
Cederberg @ R205 – Cederberg
De Grendel @ R145 – Durbanville, Panorama
Eagles’ Nest @ R255 – Constantia
Groot Constantia @ R201 – Constantia
Hartenberg The Stork @ R595 – Stellenbosch, Bottelary
Rustenberg Buzzard Kloof @ R175 – Stellenbosch, Simonsberg
Saronsberg @ R200 – Tulbagh

RED BLENDS

Delaire Graff Botmaskop @ R295 – Stellenbosch, Helshoogte
Diemersdal Private Collection @ R140 – Durbanville
Eikendal Classique @ R267 – Stellenbosch, Helderberg
Ernie Els Signature @ R720 – Stellenbosch, Helderberg
Kanonkop Paul Sauer @ R550 – Stellenbosch, Simonsberg
KWV The Mentors Orchestra @ R220 – Paarl
La Motte Pierneef Syrah Viognier @ R250 – Franschhoek
Morgenster Reserve @ R389 – Somerset West, Helderberg
Mvemve Raats De Compostella @ R1050 – Stellenbosch
Saronsberg Full Circle @ R380 – Tulbagh
Spier Creative Block 3 @ R149 – Stellenbosch
Spier Creative Block 5 @ R149 – Stellenbosch
Tokara Director’s Reserve @ R390 – Stellenbosch, Simonsberg

Top SA Sweet Wines – 2008 to 2017

DESSERT – UNFORTIFIED

Delheim Edelspatz Noble Late Harvest @ R220 (375ml) – Stellenbosch, Simonsberg
Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest @ R115 (375ml) – Stellenbosch
Groot Constantia Grand Constance Natural Sweet @ R583 (375ml) – Constantia
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet @ R895 (500ml) – Constantia
Mullineux Straw Wine @ R395 (375ml) – Swartland, Riebeek Kasteel
Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc Noble Late Harvest @ Auction – Paarl
Nederburg Private Bin Eminence Noble Late Harvest Muscadel @ Auction – Paarl
Nederburg The Winemasters Noble Late Harvest @ R100 (375ml) – Paarl
Paul Cluver Riesling Noble Late Harvest @ R250 (375ml) – Elgin

CAPE PORT – FORTIFIED

Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve @ R195 – Klein Karoo, Calitzdorp
De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve @ R230 – Klein Karoo, Calitzdorp

 

• For SA wines at under R100pb that rated well in 2017, see here.
• For the latest regarding top ratings of SA wines, see here.
• For the contact details and website address of the top SA wine producers, see here.

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Want to have your say?