Best South African wines to buy now, from Stellenbosch to the Western Cape

South Africa is 1 of the world’s much prolific vino producers, with unthinkable varieties made by family-run vineyards and large businesses alike.

South Africa’s beingness successful the vino aisle is felt keenly, but the full magnitude of South Africa ‘under vine’ lone comes to little than 480 quadrate miles – placing it extracurricular adjacent the apical 10 for vineyard plantings by country. This hasn’t stopped the state from making a sanction for itself arsenic a prolific shaper of large wines.

Though it is considered a ‘New World’ state of root for wine, South Africa’s viticultural past stretches backmost to the 1600s, and the Dutch East India Company. The aboriginal efforts of budding vintners successful the 17^th Century would not wage disconnected until the extremity of Apartheid astatine the extremity of the 20^th, erstwhile caller technologies and export opportunities stoked planetary interest, and revealed immoderate of the country’s best-kept boozy secrets.

The immense bulk of South African wines are produced successful 1 region: the Western Cape, which is an expansive swathe of the southwestern tip. Though large, this country constitutes small much than a sixth of South Africa’s area, with adjacent little devoted to winemaking. A tiny magnitude of South African vino is besides produced successful the Northern Cape, which is mostly arid and sparsely populated arsenic a effect – making precious fewer areas suitable for the planting of vineyards prevention for the well-watered banks of the Orange River.

Between antithetic regions, wards and grape varietals, it tin beryllium hard to cognize precisely what to look for successful a South African wine.

There are fewer secrets though, and hunting for a bully vino is the aforesaid present is it is for immoderate European state of origin. For example, portion determination is perfectly thing incorrect with blended wines from South Africa – indeed, much than a fewer person made it to this round-up – an fantabulous crib by which to constrictive down your vino hunt is to look for ‘wines of origin’.

In a somewhat akin manner to the EU’s PDO (Protected Designation of Origin) appellation scheme, which protects the likes of Champagne and Bordeaux from non-regional namesakes, South Africa has the WO (Wine of Origin) scheme.

The W.O. strategy ensures lone wines made from grapes wrong a azygous ward tin assertion to beryllium a vino of said ward. For example, a vineyard successful Stellenbosch that lone uses its ain grapes tin telephone each of its wines a Wine of Origin Stellenbosch, whereas a blended vino containing grapes from aggregate wards tin lone signify the portion successful which it was made.

Choosing a WO vino will, astatine the precise least, springiness a overmuch clearer representation of however the clime and terroir interaction flavour – hence giving you a overmuch much blase snapshot of South African wines astatine their best.

That said, determination are immoderate accessible and breathtaking blended options from a wide scope of vintners that inactive execute astonishing things. Speaking of which…

Journey's End

Best overall: champion white

Journey’s End is simply a comparatively young vino brand, having started successful the mid-1990s arsenic a caller task for the Gabbs – astir notably down the supermarket wine-aisle occurrence communicative Kumala. Though portion of a wider marque network, Journey’s End’s output is nary lesser for it, and the Queen Bee Viognier is almighty grounds for this.

The Queen Bee is simply a emotion missive to the Cape chromatic bee, a taxon of bee solely autochthonal to confederate South Africa and the catalyst by which truthful overmuch South African nutrient is made possible. Apt, then, that Queen Bee is simply a viognier – a grape which imparts Mediterranean and stone-fruit notes alongside a honeyed, floral nose.

Indeed, the Queen Bee is amazingly saccharine and characterful astatine archetypal sniff; you would curse that the vintners had snuck chromatic into the fermentation vessels. That honey-sweetness isn’t mislaid successful the mouth, but alternatively supplemented by a analyzable sharpness and tartness: over-ripe peaches; sour dragon fruit. This is enjoyably analyzable and full-bodied, and could easy basal its ain against much fragrant and unctuous dishes.

Vergelegen

Best: red

Vergelegen’s property is the oldest 1 successful this list, having been established successful 1700; though it has changed hands much than once, its affluent past has had an indelible interaction connected the prime of its wines. The property is based successful Somerset West, a portion of the Stellenbosch ward known for its cabernet-rich viniculture. Its clime and terroir harvester to marque for memorable wines, affluent successful flavour and ripe for ageing – which is precisely however the Millrace Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot comes to basal retired truthful well.

This reddish is deliciously full-bodied connected the nose, making the implicit astir of some grapes; plum and achromatic cherry are backed up by 14 months of tube ageing, and softened by the 4 further years connected the shelf. The flavour is markedly much subtle, with property having wicked distant immoderate sweetness successful favour of a developed, woody, tannic and tobacco-rich experience. This is simply a vino that rewards each successive sip with different furniture of complexity, that would beryllium good atop affluent roasted and Mediterranean dishes.

Dynamite Factory

Best for: early Shiraz adoptees

Dynamite Factory is simply a caller marque conception from Flagstone Wines, named for the explosive anterior intent of the winery’s 2nd location successful Somerset West. The Dynamite Factory wines are designed with accessibility successful mind, landing astatine a cheaper terms constituent with immoderate quintessential flavour profiles successful hand.

Indeed, this shiraz is simply a uniquely accessible red, though possibly much endearing to budding reddish vino converts than discerning reddish vino drinkers. It is highly saccharine smelling, with strawberries coming consecutive to caput and a hint of raspberry behind. To drink, this sweetness disappears successful favour of a lightness and near-effervescent sharpness. There is immoderate cocoa to beryllium recovered here, but not altogether much.

This would beryllium a good reddish for tomato-based seafood starters, and besides a large instauration to what South African Shiraz tin mean.

Amandla

Best for: righteous quaffability

Amandla is simply a striking caller marque from the HER Wine Collection, and all-black, all-women concern rightfully carving retired occurrence successful an unequal industry. Amandla (“power” successful Zulu and Xhosa”) is astatine erstwhile an apt descriptor and a telephone to action, providing a delicious acceptable of socially-conscious alternatives from an highly breathtaking business.

The Our Future Sauvignon Blanc is simply a amazingly well-rounded wine, with a robust fruity scent and backbone. There is caller pome-fruit astatine the apical extremity of the nose, arsenic good arsenic that stereotypical passionfruit character. On the tongue, though, it is delightfully subtle.

There is simply a connection that has rightfully go thing of a meme successful trade brew circles, but which I cannot assistance but use here: quaffable. The Our Future is exceedingly drinkable, exhibiting lime zest, passionfruit sharpness and a rounded sweetness that gives it capable assemblage to beryllium good - whether arsenic an day league portion oregon arsenic an accompaniment to shellfish.

Dynamite Factory

Best for: the 2nd vino of the evening

The Dynamite Factory Sauvignon Blanc is thing of a quintessential Sauvignon Blanc experience, with each the trademark trappings of an accessible entry-level white. There’s citrus, herbs and tropical fruits aplenty to beryllium recovered here, each successful comparative equilibrium and without challenging the palate excessively heavily.

The chemoreceptor is astir apt the champion portion of this sauvignon blanc, offering toffee apples alongside citrus peel and tarragon. In the mouth, it’s a tad clash-y, but nevertheless rounded; deliberation fig and pear, washed down with a brushed metallic tequila (i.e.: the spirit-esque sharpness that lingers aft each mouthful). This is simply a perfectly serviceable achromatic that would spell good with practically thing – adjacent if arsenic a 2nd oregon 3rd bottle.

Vergelegen

Best for: a sophisticated, analyzable experience

Like the Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot of the aforesaid vintner, Vergelegen’s Millrace Sauvignon Blanc 2022 is simply a certified Wine of Origin Stellenbosch, making the astir of that affluent terroir to bring retired the champion successful an oft-overplayed grape. This sauvignon blanc is simply a choky number, with an upfront crispness astir it connected the chemoreceptor and connected the tongue. Behind that archetypal adust impression, though, is simply a candy sweetness, not dissimilar the archetypal whiff from a container of Skittles. This sweetness tin beryllium recovered astatine the backmost of the pharynx later, but not earlier the contiguous evocations of gooseberry and pome tegument that travel from the archetypal sip.

Despite its dryness, it is simply a remarkably well-balanced wine. A heady top-end is supported by a subtle earthiness, a merchandise of the Sauvignon grape fixed the wine’s un-oaked nature. At nary constituent does the Millrace’s sharpness overwhelm, making this an outstanding achromatic for pairing with lighter salads and achromatic fish.

Amandla

Best for: red meats and lukewarm evenings

Our Power is different beardown entrant from the Amandla oeuvre – this clip a shiraz-zinfandel reddish that lives up to its name. Bold flavours abound, from wood berries and acheronian cocoa connected the chemoreceptor to cherry-forward extent successful the mouth.

Indeed, by sniff this is simply a port-like red, precocious successful sweetener contented and affluent successful effect look – macerated achromatic cherries and berries travel to mind, lashed implicit a bitter cocoa ganache. When tasted, the spiciness of the zinfandel grapes comes forward, offering hints of vanilla and cinnamon to complement the oak assemblage (delivered by French oak staves added to the fermentation vessel). With a hint of sharpness, this is an different warming vino that would suit reddish nutrient dishes well, but easy stands unsocial arsenic an evening sipper.

Bosman Family Vineyards

Best for: heady flavour

Bosman is simply a acquainted fig successful South Africa’s vino history, with its present-day CEO being an eighth-generation descendant of the archetypal laminitis successful 1810. Bosman’s remit is wide, owing to its size; it has fingers successful a large galore antithetic pies crossed South Africa – including the aforementioned HER Wine Collection. The Nero exemplifies Bosman’s concern successful innovation, being a South African vino made from the usually-Sicilian Nero d’Avola grape.

The Nero has a affluent nose, and a amusive 1 astatine that; you’ll find everything from caller plum and wood berries to cacao nib. The taste, though, is simply a small tighter and much discerning. There’s sweetness to beryllium recovered betwixt the tannins and alcohol, making the Nero sensation similar a liqueur much than thing else. There’s silk and hairsbreadth alike, wrapped up successful a choky flavour bundle that sits good with hearty tomato-based dishes.

Nature & Sun

Best for: summertime picnics

This grenache noir is simply a spot of a jump-scare retired of the bottle, arsenic what looks to beryllium a comparatively agleam vino successful the vessel pours arsenic if a summertime fruits cordial. This lightness of colour shouldn’t mislead you arsenic to its flavour, though. While the chemoreceptor is precise overmuch what you’d expect, some from the grape and the diluted Robinsons-red colour – agleam sugar, strawberry and pome – it tastes enjoyably complex.

The tannins adhd intrigue to accepted berry notes, and the precocious abv carries some done to a crisp finish. This is different precise quaffable wine, light-bodied and kind; arsenic such, it would beryllium a large starter red, oregon adjacent a bully fixture for the summertime picnic cooler.

Amandla

Best for: garden parties

Our Freedom is different from the Amandla trifecta – a brushed affair, and a vino that to immoderate grade could adjacent beryllium described arsenic ‘delicate’. Chenin blanc grapes are the prima of the show, bringing their idiosyncratic sweet-sour yin-yang to proceedings alongside a interaction of berry from the dash of Pinotage that gives Our Freedom its colour. The pinotage slots successful well, arsenic lighter berry flavours subtly waft up betwixt lemon-lime foodstuff and gomme syrup notes to make a veritable flavour-profile cocktail.

The chemoreceptor is the subtlest portion of the package, giving small distant too immoderate citrus sharpness and herb-garden aroma. On the tongue, though, Our Freedom zings, leaving down hints of watermelon and strawberry. This is simply a Sunday day vino if ever determination was one.

Bosman

Best for: accessible complexity

Another from the Bosman flock, this 2021 Pinot Noir is simply a Wine of Origin Upper Hemel en Aarde Valley, a comparatively caller ward wrong once-ward Walker Bay. It is distinguished from the different 2 Hemel en Aarde wards by its terroir – which lends it uniquely good to the accumulation of pinot noirs.

The Bosman Pinot Noir is impervious affirmative of this assertion, being an absurdly well-structured reddish for its type. This vino is simply a agleam and wide red, with a heavy and rewarding chemoreceptor that puts berry compote scents astatine the forefront. This is an casual drinker, too, with amazingly small intoxicant connected the lingua for its 13%.

To drink, it is refreshing – and refreshingly complex, contempt its lightness of flavour and colour. A rounded oak flavour gives mode to those aforesaid berries, with a hint of tannic mouthfeel that makes the adjacent sip adjacent much inviting. Though by nary means simple, this is simply a airy vino – possibly amended suited to pre-dinner drinks than a full-bodied main course.