Top Wine SA Hall of Fame champions announced

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

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

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