Top 30 South Africa Wines

of the Top 100 by James Suckling 2022

The notorious wine critic James Suckling has rated over 800 South African wines in 2022 and has now published his top 100.

His conclusion: South Africa is developing into a great white wine producer, with Chenin Blanc among the top performers in the tasting. The holy grail of Chenin Blanc, the Loire Valley in France, is even surpassed in terms of quality! Discover our Top 30 KapWeine now!

The James Suckling team was lucky enough to visit South Africa this year and travel through the main wine regions, talking to winemakers, studying terroirs and literally tasting soils.  The country welcomed them with incredible landscapes and diverse wine regions: stunning Constantia, beautiful Stellenbosch and breathtaking Franschhoek. However, our best South African wine of 2022 comes from Swartland, like many of the other top wines on this list. At first glance, the extreme conditions of the region do not seem to invite easy viticulture. But the string of successful and open-minded winegrowers to be found there have planted their vines firmly in the dry and wild land, and the particularities of the terroir can result in excellent wines.

No wine reflects this better than James Suckling’s Wine of the Year for South Africa, the David & Nadia Chenin Blanc Swartland Skaliekap Single Vineyard Wine 2021 . The owners and winemakers, David and Nadia Sadie, work mainly with old bush vines grown organically in various locations throughout Swartland and on different soil types. Their Skaliekap vineyard in Paardeberg is situated on shallow slate soils over granite rocks and has been designated a certified heritage vineyard with its Chenin Blanc vines planted in 1985.

Vintage 2021
97 Points by James Suckling

BEST HIT
DAVID & NADIA
Skaliekop – 2020
CHF 75.00

The exceptional Skaliekap 2021 has a complex and concentrated character while showing the freshness and elegance of crisp stone fruit, white tea and citrus peel. It is also long and silky with a nutty aftertaste. David Sadie said he strives to make a wine that exudes textural expression while reflecting its terroir, which is enhanced by precise work with the lees and accurate ageing. He has succeeded here with a truly world-class wine.

Vintage 2019
97 Points by James Suckling

BEST HIT
Special Offer
KLEIN CONSTANTIA
Vin de Constance – 2016
CHF 69.00 instead of 89.00

Klein Constantia, a pearl nestled in the foothills of Mount Constantiaberg, where winemaker Matthew Day and winemaker Craig Harris gave us a tour of a winery that produces a dessert wine that is among the best in the world. The Klein Constantia Constantia Vin de Constance Natural Sweet Wine 2019 is extraordinary – complex and balanced with such a wide range of flavours, from dried sweet stone and tropical fruits to spicy, floral and even earthy notes. It is dense and energetic, with a clean and precise acidity and will last for decades.

All Top KapWeine

by James Suckling 2022

All prices in CHF incl. VAT. Daily price from 27.01.2023.
Offers are valid while stocks last. Errors and price changes excepted.