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Judging South African wine

Some of the Cape's wineries and winemakers have, over the years, built up considerable international stature. Nominations to lists in influential American publications such as Wine Spectator, Robert Parker and Wine Enthusiast, and UK magazines Decanter and Wine, have put names such as Meerlust, Kanonkop, Glen Carlou, Thelema, Rustenberg, Rust en Vrede, Simonsig and Muldersbosch in the limelight.

In South Africa, various competitions such as Veritas, Top Ten Pinotages and the annual John Platter Guide's five-star ratings have, over time, identified the consistently better performers.

While, in the modern world of wine, a new name inevitably crops up from time to time to claim the spotlight, a survey of local wine writers and judges by South Africa's independent Grape magazine last year showed remarkable consensus of the best South African wineries and wine producers.

The top 21 chosen, in order, were Kanonkop Estate, Vergelegen, Neil Ellis Wines, Hamilton-Russell Vineyards, Rustenberg Wines, Glen Carlou Vineyards, Thelema Mountain Vineyards, Jordan Vineyards, Veenwouden, Klein Constantia, Grangehurst, Boekenhoutskloof, Villiera Wines, Saxenburg, Spice Route Wine Company, Bouchard Finlayson, De Trafford Wines, Buitenverwachting Estate, Fairview, Graham Beck Wineries and Springfield Estate.

Any visitor, wine lover or connoisseur will find South Africa’s finest wine under any of these labels. The John Platter Guide annually gives a summary of the best performers over a number of years. This too is an excellent guide to the very best.

Medals that matter

Of all the competitions, the annual Veritas is by far the most representative, awarding double gold, gold, silver and bronze medals.

The Absa Top 10 Pinotages competition is meant to encourage the improvement of local pinotage and is widely supported. Well-judged, winners are snapped up by supporters.

The Diners Club Winemaker of the Year award has been around for decades and focuses on a specific wine variety each year. A new Young Winemaker of the Year award was recently incorporated.

The local airline’s annual SAA Selection is highly regarded as a measure of quality and prestige. Trophies are sought after and valued.

As with pinotage, Wine magazine’s yearly Chenin Blanc Challenge encourages better-made wines from this Cape classic.

Air France-Preteux Bourgeois Classic is an annual competition that judges Cape wines to European standards.

Acquiring at auction

The Annual Nederburg International Auction takes place in April. The Cape Winemaker’s Guild sells a small batch of special selected wines annually in October. Online wine trader Cybercellar conducts regular, on-going auctions.

Reading about wine

John Platter’s South African Wine Guide is the ultimate information booklet about Cape wine and all associated issues. This is where you’ll find not only the ratings, but detailed information about where to stay, eat and enjoy.

Phyllis Hands and David Hughes’ New World of Wines from the Cape of Good Hope (Stephan Phillips) is an informative coffee-table book for any curious traveller to take home and treasure.

Wendy Toerien’s Wines and Vineyards of South Africa (Struik) is another pretty book to keep, while the annual SA Wine Industry Directory is a compendium of all wine production information.

SA WINE LINKS ORGANISATIONS

• Wines of South Africa. A body representing all SA wine producer-exporters. The site carries comprehensive info, including an overview of wine-growing areas, cultivars & soils.
• SA Wine Industry Information & Systems. Not-for-profit company that administers the industry's Wine of Origin system. The final word on SA wine information & statistics.
• Pinotage Association. Comprehensive guide to this red wine, with a listing of pinotage wineries.

BUY ONLINE

• Cybercellar
• eWine
• South African WineSeller
• WINEmag.co.za
• Wine of the Month Club

ONLINE GUIDES

• Platter Wine Guide. Site of the renowned SA wine guide: Cape wines A-Z, info on wine regions, grape varieties & more.
• Wine.co.za Comprehensive SA wine guide, with news, wine shop, events calendar and links directory.
• WINEmag.co.za WINE magazine's site: articles, wine appreciation guide, ratings, calendar of events, online sales & more.
• WineLand. An industry magazine.
• Grape. Independent quarterly magazine.
• SA Wines. German-language site.

WINE ROUTES

• Helderberg Wine Route
• Paarl Vintners
• Stellenbosch Wine Route

The story continued ...

South African wine

South African wine: past and present

South African wine regions

Judging South African wine

Melvyn Minnaar writes about wine, food and travel for a number of South African and international publications and websites. He is an art critic and curator, and a member of the international Slow Food Award jury.