Great value South African wines
Decanter's tasting team has selected seven wines, the majority below £20, which represent the forward-looking philosophy of South African winemakers today...
South Africa is often described as straddling the line between old world and new world, producing wines that can be ripe and fruity as well as elegantly balanced.
To highlight the country’s spirit of innovation, Decanter’s tasting team has picked out seven wines from wineries at the cutting edge of South African winemaking – and the best part is that the majority are available for under £20 ($27).
Great value South African wines to try:
Originally created in 2015 and updated with new wines in October 2017.
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Crystallum, Clay Shales Chardonnay, Hemel-en-Aarde, Walker Bay, South Africa, 2014
Peter Allan Finlayson is as big as his father in stature and is certainly making as big a name for himself as a winemaker up...
2014
CrystallumHemel-en-Aarde
Momento, Grenache, Swartland, South Africa, 2015
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Marelise Niemann, formerly assistant winemaker at Beaumont Family Wines, is a star to watch in Bot River. Here, her minimal intervention approach has produced a vital, pure and honest wine from old dry-farmed Paardeberg bush vines. A third is whole-bunch fruit, and it is all aged for 15 months in old 225 litre barrels. Fresh acidity with tart cherry and cranberry fruit, lifted violet notes and fine, chalky tannins make this a vibrant, elegant and moreish red. 92% Grenache, 8% Carignan.
2015
Momento
Boekenhoutskloof, Sémillon, Franschhoek, South Africa, 2015
This astonishing wine takes its grapes from three vineyards, planted in 1902 (the oldest in South Africa), 1936 and 1942. Additions of Sauvignon and Muscat...
2015
Boekenhoutskloof
David & Nadia, Siebritskloof Pinotage, Swartland, South Africa, 2015
These dry-farmed bush vines on granite soils produce an exceptional Pinotage – violet and raspberry aromas, light-bodied, with a twang of herbal bitters on the...
2015
David & Nadia
Lemberg, Hárslevelü, Tulbagh, South Africa, 2015
This Hungarian variety was planted in 1983 and is now one of Lemberg's signature wines. Made in a natural, oxidative style, the wine was aged...
2015
Lemberg
Waterkloof, Circle of Life, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2013
Waterkloof's vineyards are certified biodynamic, and they proudly follow old world sustainable practices such as producing their own organic compost and not using chemicals. Their...
2013
Waterkloof
Nederburg, The Beautiful Lady, Stellenbosch, South Africa, 2016
Commemorating the wife of a previous owner of the Nederburg estate, this Gewurztraminer is made from a single block of vines, at an altitude of...
2016
Nederburg
