It’s that time of year again! Tasting the unique micro expressions from some of South Africa’s top producers is no easy task. It used to be a real expose of some really unique wine styles of the ever evolving South African wine industry, but now, it feels like producers are evolving, maturing, and certainly playing it a little safer. Is that a bad thing? No, not at all!
Speaking to tasters, collectors (at the tasting) and producers, the feeling was very much that ALL wines were impressive and worthy of praise. But, many did feel that the innovation had been slightly dialled down in the name of premiumisation and in order to offer the wider global fine wine market a unique selection of wines that can be offered to incredibly fussy international merchants and collectors in a congested fine wine market place – wines that can’t be compared and contrasted to anything already available on the market.
Some will reflect on these wines and feel that they are not sufficiently “different” from the regular cuvées offered on the commercial market, but one has to bare in mind that many of the buyers engaging in the CWG auction are not in a viable position to access workable / commercial quantities of wines from these top producers now that European allocations have become so tightly controlled and limited. The CWG breaks that mould and expands the market for South African fine wine, bringing some incredibly high quality wines to a wider, new generation of collectors and connoisseurs. That alone should surely be celebrated. I for one remain a MASSIVE fan of the CWG concept and auction process and encourage enthusiasts to buy with confidence whether bidding directly or buying through a merchant channel like Bordeaux Index.
Scores at the doors…
AA Badenhorst Family Wines ‘Out Of The Strong Comes Forth Freshness’ Carignan 2024 – 93+/100
The Saldanha Wine & Spirit Co. Saldanha Pale Dry SEA, SALT, SAND AND WIND N.V. – 95/100
Ataraxia ‘Sympathy For The Pinot’ Pinot Noir 2024 – 94/100
Ataraxia Under The Gavel Chardonnay 2024 – 95/100
Bartho Eksteen Wine Estate Fluister Landgoed Pinot Noir 2023 – 93/100
Bartho Eksteen Wine Estate Vloekskoot Sauvignon Blanc – Op Hout 2024 – 92+/100
Beaumont Family Wines Arturo’s Pinotage 2023 – 94/100
Beeslaar Wines CWG Pinotage 2023 – 96/100
Boschkloof CWG Epilogue Syrah 2023 – 97+/100
Boschkloof CWG Conclusion 2023 – 97/100
Cederberg Black Slate Shiraz 2023 – 93+/100
David & Nadia Veiling Chenin blanc 2024 – 96+/100
De Grendel Wines Op Die Berg Pinot Noir 2023 – 93+/100
De Trafford Chenin Blanc S16 2024 – 96/100
Delaire Graff Estate Banghoek Cabernet Sauvignon – Cabernet Franc 2022 – 94+/100
Dewaldt Heyns Family Wines CWG Chenin Blanc Reserve 2024 – 95/100
Dewaldt Heyns Family Wines Saailand Shiraz 2022 – 94/100
Ernie Els Wines CWG 2022 – 94/100
Frans K. Smit Lamed 2021 – 94/100
Graham Beck CWG Extra Brut Chardonnay Pinot Noir Cap Classique 2018 – 94/100
Graham Beck CWG Extra Brut Chardonnay Pinot Noir Cap Classique 2019 – 95/100
Jordan Wine Estate CWG Chardonnay 2024 – 94/100
Kershaw Wines Ziggurat Chardonnay 2024 – 95+/100
Kershaw Wines Vertiginous Pinot Noir 2023 – 94/100
Le Riche CWG Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 – 97/100
Lismore Estate Vineyards Valkyrie Chardonnay 2024 – 95+/100
Lismore Estate Vineyards The Sheltering Sky Syrah 2023 – 97/100
Luddite Wines Square Dog Grenache 2024 – 94/100
Miles Mossop Wines Maximilian 2018 – 94+/100
Miles Mossop Wines Maximilian 2019 – 95/100
Mullineux ‘The Gris’ Old Vine Sémillon 2024 – 98/100
Neil Ellis Wines Amper Bo Tempranillo 2021 – 92+/100
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Sandford Chardonnay 2023 – 96/100
Newton Johnson Family Vineyards Windansea Pinot Noir 2023 – 95+/100
Paul Clüver Family Wines The Wagon Trail Chardonnay 2024 – 95+/100
Raats Family Wines Fountain Terroir Specific Chenin Blanc 2024 – 96/100
Raats Family Wines Stella Nova Cabernet Franc 2021 – 95/100
Rall Wines Noa Syrah 2023 – 98/100
Rock of Eye CWG Auction Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 – 94/100
Savage Wines Auction Syrah 2023 – 97/100
Silverthorn Wines ‘Mad As The Mist And Snow’ Brut Nature Cap Classique 2019 – 95/100
Solo Wines Auction Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 – 93/100
Storm Wines Bokkeveld Shale Pinot Noir 2023 – 96/100
Storm Wines Bokkeveld Shale Chardonnay 2023 – 96/100
Strydom Family Wines The Game Changer Cabernet Franc – Merlot 2021 – 94/100
Strydom Family Wines Paradigm 2022 – 95/100
Warwick Auction Cabernet Franc – Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 – 93+/100
Thorne & Daughters Sand Castles 2024 – 96+/100
