This is the first year of the Top 100 SA Wines competition. It can’t be an easy thing to start up a wine competition when there are several long standing ones already. From what I read in the media and things I heard from people, there were some grumblings and a fair amount of resistance from various quarters.
It’s quite a difficult question. My initial thought is that any competition which will create exposure for South African wines overseas is a good thing, and I believe that is one of the objectives of the competition. However, it is a bit of a problem selection the ‘Top 100’ if you are not comparing all South African wines. From what I understand there were a lot of wines/estates which were not entered into the competition for various reasons.
After attending the awards ceremony and seeing the book that was published to showcase the wines, I feel comfortable that the competition is being run well and to a high standard (quality judges, not only from SA and wines all tasted blind, etc). So I think when it gains credibility in the industry, more estates will enter their wines it after a few years it will be a more accurate reflection of the top 100 SA wines.
Having said all that, here’s the list:
REDS
Blends
Aaldering Vineyards – Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot 2007 (Stellenbosch)
Allée Bleue – Isabeau 2010 (Western Cape)
Anwilka – Anwilka 2008 (Stellenbosch)
Badenhorst Family – Red 2007 (Coastal)
Creation Wines – Syrah Grenache 2009 (Walker Bay)
De Grendel Wines – Rubaiyat 2007 (Coastal)
Dornier Wines – Donatus Red 2007 (Stellenbosch)
Glenelly Cellars – Lady May 2008 (Stellenbosch)
Glenelly Cellars – Grand Vin de Glenelly 2007 (Western Cape)
Hawksmoor at Matjieskuil – Saint Alfege’s 2008 (Paarl)
Miles Mossop Wines – Saskia 2009 (Coastal)
Mvemve Raats – De Compostella 2007 (Stellenbosch)
Quoin Rock Winery – Oculus 2007 (Simonsberg-Stellenbosch)
Rustenberg – John X Merriman 2008 (Simonsberg-Stellenbosch)
Saronsberg Cellar – Provenance Rooi 2009 (Tulbagh)
Saronsberg Cellar – Full Circle 2008 (Tulbagh)
Simonsig Estate – Frans Malan 2005 (Stellenbosch)
Sumaridge Wines – Maritimus 2009 (Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Valley)
Tokara – Director’s Reserve Red 2007 (Stellenbosch)
Tormentoso – Syrah & Mourvedre 2009 (Paarl)
Uva Mira – Red Blend 2006 (Stellenbosch)
Cabernet Franc
Oldenburg Vineyards – Cabernet Franc 2008 (Stellenbosch)
Cabernet Sauvignon
Edgebaston – Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (Stellenbosch)
Klein Constantia – Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (Constantia)
Le Riche Wines – Cabernet Reserve 2007 (Stellenbosch)
Oldenburg Vineyards – Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (Stellenbosch)
Rickety Bridge Winery – The Bridge 2008 (Franschhoek)
Rustenberg – Peter Barlow 2007 (Simonsberg-Stellenbosch)
Stark-Condé Wines – Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 (Jonkershoek Valley)
Webersburg – Cabernet Sauvignon 2004 (Stellenbosch)
Merlot
Creation Wines – Merlot 2009 (Walker Bay)
Slaley Cellars – Merlot 2006 (Simonsberg-Stellenbosch)
Pinotage
Bosman Family Vineyards – Pinotage 2009 (Wellington)
Neethlingshof Estate – The Owl Post 2009 (Stellenbosch)
Rijk’s Private Cellar – Pinotage Reserve 2007 (Tulbagh)
Simonsig Estate – Pinotage Redhill 2007 (Stellenbosch)
Shiraz
Boschendal – Cecil John Reserve Shiraz 2008 (Stellenbosch)
Cederberg – Shiraz 2008 (Cederberg)
Flagstone – Dark Horse 2007 (Western Cape)
Graham Beck Wines – The Ridge Syrah 2006 (Robertson)
Groot Constantia – Shiraz 2008 (Coastal / Constantia)
La Motte – Pierneef Shiraz Viognier 2008 (Western Cape)
Oldenburg Vineyards – Syrah 2008 (Stellenbosch)
Raka – Biography Shiraz 2008 (Klein River)
Saronsberg Cellar – Nick & Forti’s Shiraz 2006 (Tulbagh)
Saronsberg Cellar – Shiraz 2008 (Tulbagh)
Saxenburg – Private Collection Shiraz 2006 (Stellenbosch)
WHITES
Blends
Cape Point Vineyards – Isliedh 2009 (Cape Point)
Cape Point Vineyards – Isliedh 2010 (Cape Point)
Cederberg – Ghost Corner Semillon 2009 (Elim)
Flagstone – Treaty Tree Reserve 2010 (Western Cape)
Saronsberg Cellar – Nick & Forti’s Viognier 2008 (Tulbagh)
Steenberg Vineyards – Semillon 2010 (Constantia)
The Bernard Series – Whole Bunch Grenache Blanc / Viognier 2010 (Paarl)
Tokara – Director’s Reserve White 2009 (Stellenbosch)
Vondeling – Babiana 2008 (Voor Paardeberg)
Vuurberg Wines – White 2010 (Coastal)
Chardonnay
Boschendal – Reserve Collection Chardonnay 2009 (Coastal)
Bouchard Finlayson – Kaaimansgat Limited Chardonnay 2009 (Overberg)
Hamilton Russell – Chardonnay 2010 (Hemel-en-Aarde Valley)
Jordan Wine Estate – Chardonnay 2009 (Stellenbosch)
Longridge Wines – Chardonnay 2008 (Stellenbosch)
Mulderbosch – Chardonnay Barrel Fermented 2007 (Stellenbosch)
Paul Cluver Wines – Chardonnay 2009 (Elgin)
Chenin Blanc
Bosman Family Vineyards – Optenhorst Chenin Blanc 2009 (Wellington)
De Morgenzon – Chenin Blanc 2007 (Stellenbosch)
Graham Beck Wines – Bowed Head Chenin Blanc 2009 (Coastal)
Jordan Wine Estate – Chenin Blanc 2009 (Stellenbosch)
Ken Forrester Wines – Reserve Chenin Blanc 2010 (Stellenbosch)
L’Avenir – Grand Vin Chenin Blanc 2008 (Stellenbosch)
Rijk’s Private Cellar – Chenin Blanc Reserve 2007 (Tulbagh)
Rijk’s Private Cellar – Touch of Oak Chenin Blanc 2009 (Coastal)
Simonsig Estate – Chenin Avec Chêne 2009 (Stellenbosch)
Spier – Private Collection Chenin Blanc 2009 (Western Cape)
Stellenrust – 46 Chenin Blanc 2010 (Stellenbosch)
Teddy Hall Wines – Chenin Blanc Reserve 2009 (Stellenbosch)
The Bernard Series – Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2009 (Coastal)
Tormentoso – Old Vine Chenin Blanc 2010 (Paarl)
Sauvignon Blanc
Cederberg – Ghost Corner Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (Elim)
Cederberg – Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (Cederberg)
Diemersdal – Eight Rows Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (Durbanville)
Diemersdal – Single Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (Durbanville)
Graham Beck Wines – Pheasants’ Run Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (Coastal)
Hermanuspietersfontein – Nr. 5 Sauvignon Blanc 2009 (Sunday’s Glen)
Paul Cluver Wines – Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (Elgin)
Quoin Rock Winery – Nicobar 2009 (Simonsberg-Stellenbosch)
Steenberg Vineyards – HMS Rattlesnake Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (Coastal)
Zorgvliet Wines – Five-Thirty-Five 2010 (Banghoek)
Zorgvliet Wines – Sauvignon Blanc 2010 (Banghoek)
OTHER
MCC
Bon Courage – Jacques Bruére C.C. Blanc de Blancs 2007 Brut (Robertson)
Cederberg – Blanc de Blancs Brut 2006 (Cederberg)
Constantia Uitsig – MCC 2007 Brut (Constantia)
Simonsig Estate – Cuvée Royale 2005 Brut (Stellenbosch)
Teddy Hall Wines – Blanc de Blancs 2005 Brut (Stellenbosch)
Port
Bergsig – Cape LBV 2000 (Breedekloof)
De Krans – Cape Tawny Port NV (Western Cape)
De Krans – Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2008 (Calitzdorp)
Overgaauw – Cape Vintage Port 1998 (Stellenbosch)
Dessert Wine
Klein Constantia – Vin de Constance 2006 (Constantia)
Paul Cluver Wines – Noble Late Harvest Riesling 2010 (Elgin)