Vintage guides

Region: Red South Africa

Year Rating Drinkability Style More
1991 starstarstarstarstar drink now Good, concentrated wines but some have remained rather hard and tannic more...
1992 starstarstarstarstar drink now A good vintage for Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinotage more...
1993 starstarstarstarstar drink now A small and disappointing vintage more...
1994 starstarstarstarstar drink soon A variable year but some good Cabernet Sauvignon, Pinotage and Shiraz was made more...
1995 starstarstarstarstar drink soon A low-yielding vintage produced good-quality, well-structured wines more...
1996 starstarstarstarstar drink soon An unexciting vintage with few wines of note more...
1997 starstarstarstarstar keep The top producers overcame difficult conditions to make concentrated, yet well-balanced wines more...
1998 starstarstarstarstar keep A tricky, early vintage. Shiraz and Cabernet Sauvignon produced the most successful wines more...
1999 starstarstarstarstar keep A small crop. Pinotage performed well more...
2000 starstarstarstarstar keep Ripest, most generous vintage in many years, with big, burly, quick-maturing reds more...
2001 starstarstarstarstar keep Excellent structure with a balance of ripe, complex fruit more...
2002 starstarstarstarstar keep Elegant, flavourful reds more...
2003 starstarstarstarstar drink soon Full-bodied, fruity and full of flavour more...
2004 starstarstarstarstar drink soon Variable wines. Some will be elegant with higher acidity and lower alcohol than those from more classic South African vintages; others will be fuller bodied and robust more...
2005 starstarstarstarstar keep Many reports point to the see-saw weather conditions, especially in the weeks running up to the harvest more...
2006 starstarstarstarstar drink soon Bordering on an outstanding vintage. Incredibly well-balanced wines, with great depth and fruit purity for drinking in short to medium-term. more...
2007 starstarstarstarstar keep Challenging season producing wines with great colour and aroma intensity, big, complex structures and the potential for opulence. Rhône styles show great finesse. more...
2008 starstarstarstarstar keep Cool, rainy, labour intensive vintage culminating in ideal ripening weather. Inconsistent quality, but ripe, elegant, well balanced reds from top growers. more...