Introduction
Winemag.co.za reviewed a total of 990 wines across 20 categories in its various reports sponsored by multinational financial services company Prescient over the course of the year. Each report was based on the outcome of a blind tasting of wines entered within the specific category.
A Top 10 was then announced with the release of each successive report. Now the individual best wine per category can be revealed.
Best of Category
WHITES
CAP CLASSIQUE: Miss Molly Blanc de Blancs 2015 (94-points) CHARDONNAY: Constantia Uitsig Reserve 2020 (94-points) CAPE WHITE BLEND: The Tea Leaf 2020 (94-points) NICHE WHITE: Vergelegen Reserve Semillon 2019 (93-points) SAUVIGNON BLANC- WOODED: Carmen Stevens Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (94-points) CHENIN BLANC: Cavalli Filly 2020 (96-points) SAUVIGNON BLANC- SEMILLON BLEND: Wade Bales Regional Series Constantia White 2019 (96-points) SAUVIGNON BLANC- UNWOODED: Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc 2021 (95-points)
REDS
PINOTAGE: Môreson The Widow Maker 2019 (94-points) CABERNET SAUVIGNON: Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (94-points) SHIRAZ: Zandvliet Hill of Enon 2019 (95-points) PINOT NOIR: Bosman Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir 2020 (94-points) MERLOT: De Grendel Merlot 2019 (92-points) SIGNATURE RED BLEND: Mary le Bow Red 2018 (94-points) CAPE BORDEAUX RED BLEND: DeMorgenzon Maestro Red 2017 (96-points) NICHE RED: Zorgvliet Petit Verdot 2018 (94-points)
SWEET WINE & FORTIFIEDS
NOBEL LATE HARVEST: Boschendal Vin D’Or 2018 (92-points) MUSCADEL: De Krans Muscat Blanc 2020 (93-points) PORT: Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2009 (96-points) STRAW WINE: Villa Esposto Muscat D’Alexandrie 2019 (92-points)
Winery of the Year: Vergelegen
One of the great historic properties of the Cape, this has been owned by global mining company Anglo American since 1987. With the celebrated André van Rensburg as winemaker, the wines were highly acclaimed in the early-2000s but then faded from prominence somewhat. It has to be said, however, that a drawn-out re-planting programme to rid the vineyards of leaf-roll virus was undertaken and with this now complete, Vergelegen’s glory days seem to be back!
The property had two wines judged best in category, these being the Sauvignon Blanc 2021 and Reserve Semillon 2019 while another four wines made the Top 10 in their respective categories, namely the G.V.B White 2019, Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2019, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 and Reserve Merlot 2016.
This year, almost 1000 wines were tasted blind by a three-person panel from the Winemag judges and scored on the 100-point quality scale.
Winemag judges:
- Christian Eedes (Panel Chair)
- Ndaba Dube
- Malu Lambert
- Roland Peens
- James Pietersen
- Jolette Steyn
- Cathy van Zyl MW
Find out more
For greater insight into the winning wines, download the following: Prescient Top 20 Wine South Africa 2021
