Eligibility
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 2007 and 2016 (inclusive) for the 2017 Classification.
The critics include experts appointed for the Decanter World Wine Awards (UK), the International Wine Challenge (UK) and IWSC (UK), the Michelangelo awards (SA), Platter's SA Wine Guide (Five Stars and Highly Recommended), the Six Nations Challenge (AU), the Trophy Wine Show (SA) and the Veritas 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.
Winning wines
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 Ataraxia Chardonnay, Cloof The Very Sexy Shiraz, De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc and De Grendel Shiraz, Eagles’ Nest Shiraz, Flagstone Dark Horse Shiraz, Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Chardonnay, Groot Constantia Chardonnay, Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Shiraz, Nederburg Ingenuity (White Blend), Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir, Oak Valley Chardonnay, Rijk’s Reserve Pinotage, Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc, Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin Sauvignon Blanc and Warwick Trilogy (Red Blend).
And among those producers joining or returning to the ranks of the Top 20 South African wineries in the 2017 SA Cellar Classification are Eagles’ Nest, Groot Constantia and Klein Constantia of the Cape Peninsula as well as La Motte of Franschhoek.
Top Wine SA Hall of Fame 2017
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 Ataraxia Chardonnay, Cloof The Very Sexy Shiraz, De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc and De Grendel Shiraz, Eagles’ Nest Shiraz, Flagstone Dark Horse Shiraz, Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Chardonnay, Groot Constantia Chardonnay, Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Shiraz, Nederburg Ingenuity (White Blend), Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir, Oak Valley Chardonnay, Rijk’s Reserve Pinotage, Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc, Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin Sauvignon Blanc and Warwick Trilogy (Red Blend).
And among those producers joining or returning to the ranks of the Top 20 South African wineries in the 2017 SA Cellar Classification are Eagles’ Nest, Groot Constantia and Klein Constantia of the Cape Peninsula as well as La Motte of Franschhoek.
Top Wine SA Hall of Fame 2017
- Ataraxia Chardonnay
- Beaumont Hope Marguerite (Chenin)
- Beyerskloof Diesel Pinotage
- Beyerskloof Pinotage Reserve
- Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon
- Boekenhoutskloof Syrah
- Bon Courage Inkará Shiraz
- Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve (Port)
- Cape Point Isliedh (White Blend)
- Cederberg Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon
- Cederberg Sauvignon Blanc
- Cederberg Shiraz
- Chamonix Chardonnay Reserve
- Chamonix Pinot Noir Reserve
- Cloof The Very Sexy Shiraz
- David Nieuwoudt Ghost Corner Sauvignon Blanc (Cederberg Cellar)
- De Grendel Koetshuis Sauvignon Blanc
- De Grendel Shiraz
- De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve (Port)
- Diemersdal Eight Rows Sauvignon Blanc
- Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Pinotage
- Eagles’ Nest Shiraz
- Ernie Els Signature (Red Blend)
- Fairview La Beryl Blanc (Straw Wine)
- Flagstone Dark Horse Shiraz
- Fleur du Cap Noble Late Harvest (Bergkelder)
- Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Cabernet Sauvignon (Bergkelder)
- Fleur du Cap Unfiltered Chardonnay (Bergkelder)
- Graham Beck Pheasants’ Run Sauvignon Blanc
- Groot Constantia Chardonnay
- Guardian Peak Lapa Cabernet Sauvignon
- Hamilton Russell Chardonnay
- Hartenberg The Stork Shiraz
- Jordan Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
- Jordan Nine Yards Chardonnay
- Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon
- Kanonkop Paul Sauer (Red Blend)
- Kanonkop Pinotage
- Kanu KCB Chenin Blanc
- Ken Forrester The FMC Chenin Blanc
- Klein Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet
- Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Shiraz
- Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Sur Lie Sauvignon Blanc
- La Motte Pierneef Collection Syrah Viognier
- Miles Mossop Saskia (White Blend)
- Morgenster Reserve (Red Blend)
- Mulderbosch Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
- Nederburg Ingenuity White Blend (White Blend)
- Nederburg Private Bin D234 Sauvignon Blanc
- Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur Chenin Blanc Noble Late Harvest
- Nederburg Private Bin Eminence Noble Late Harvest Muscadel
- Nederburg Private Bin R163 Cabernet Sauvignon
- Nederburg Winemasters Noble Late Harvest
- Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Pinot Noir
- Nitida Coronata Integration (White Blend)
- Oak Valley Chardonnay
- Paul Cluver Estate Chardonnay
- Paul Cluver Riesling Noble Late Harvest
- Raats Family Cabernet Franc
- Raka Biography Shiraz
- Rijk’s Private Cellar Pinotage
- Rijk’s Reserve Pinotage
- Rust en Vrede Estate (Red Blend)
- Rustenberg Five Soldiers Chardonnay
- Sadie Columella (Red Blend)
- Sadie Palladius (White Blend)
- Saronsberg Full Circle (Red Blend)
- Saronsberg Shiraz
- Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut (MCC)
- Simonsig Redhill Pinotage
- Stark-Condé Three Pines Cabernet Sauvignon
- Stellenrust Barrel Fermented Chenin Blanc
- Thelema Cabernet Sauvignon
- Tokara Director’s Reserve Red
- Tokara Director’s Reserve White
- Tokara Reserve Collection Elgin Sauvignon Blanc
- Tokara Reserve Collection Stellenbosch Chardonnay
- Uva Mira The Single Tree Chardonnay
- Vergelegen G.V.B White
- Warwick Trilogy (Red Blend)
- Waterford Cabernet Sauvignon
- Windmeul Reserve Pinotage
