CELLARS up and down the length of the Breede River Valley had a good year in the 2017 edition of South Africa’s Ultra Value Wine Challenge convened by BuyBetterWine.com – not that they had it all their own way. The top contestants were as follows:

MOST SUCCESSFUL ENTRANTS

Alvi’s Drift Private Cellar – Worcester
Arabella Wines – Ashton
De Wet Cellar – Worcester
DGB  – Wellington
Ken Forrester Wines – Somerset West
Koelenhof Wine Cellar – Stellenbosch
Mount Vernon – Simonsberg-Paarl
Namaqua Wines – Vredendal, Olifants River
Nicholson Smith Agencies – Johannesburg Wholesaler
Orange River Cellars – Northern Cape
Overhex Wines International – Worcester
Robertson Winery
Spier Wines – Stellenbosch
Stellenbosch Vineyards
Ultra Liquors – National Retail Chain
Van Loveren Family Vineyards – Robertson

ULTRA VALUE-FOR-MONEY

Balance Winemaker’s Selection Chenin Blanc 2017
Overhex Wines, Worcester

BC Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Brandvlei Cellar, Worcester

BC Pinotage 2016
Brandvlei Cellar, Worcester

De Wet Cellar Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Worcester Cellar

De Wet Cellar Shiraz 2016
Worcester Cellar

Fairbridge Chenin Blanc 2017
Opstal Estate, Slanghoek, Breedekloof

Flagstone Poetry Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Somerset West Cellar

Namaqua Pinotage 2016
Vredendal Cellar, Olifants River

Pandora’s Box Lock 1855 Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon NV
Jason Neal / Nicholson Smith – Own Label

Stellar Woolworths Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Klawer Cellar, Olifants River

Stellenbosch Hills Sauvignon Blanc 2017
Vlottenburg Cellar

Welmoed Pinotage 2016
Stellenbosch Vineyards Cellar, Lynedoch