Tim Atkin Rating

South Africa Special Report 2022

One of the world’s greatest wine critics, Tim Atkin, devotes 316 pages of over 95,000 words to a single country – South Africa, one of the world’s most exciting wine nations!

During a four-week visit in March, June and July this year, Tim Atkin got to taste a whopping 2’282 wines from 433 wineries, covering thousands of kilometres across the Western Cape from Piekenierskloof to the Agulhas Triangle. But that’s not all, as he rated 195 wines with more than 95 points, which is equivalent to a gold medal. He also notes that among them is a remarkably diverse range with several new producers.

Tim Atkin reports that he is very impressed with the quality of his tasting. In his opinion, he was particularly impressed with the 2017 and 2021 vintages, with 2017 earning its place as the best Cape vintage ever. But his gut feeling tells him that 2021 is on par and could surpass 2017.

Stellenbosch has defended its position as the Cape’s outstanding region, closely followed by Swartland, which received Tim Atkin’s highest ratings. But there are also exciting wines from all corners of South Africa, including Malgas, Montagu and the Ceres Plateau.

Discover now what lies behind Tim Atkin’s ratings and which wines have shone in South Africa.

Vintage 2019
98 Points by Tim Atkin

BEST HIT
Killer Deal – from 6 Bottles
TAAIBOSCH
Cresendo – 2018
CHF 29.90 instead of 39.00

Vintage 2021
95 Points by Tim Atkin

Killer Deal – from 6 Bottles
ALHEIT
Cartology – 2021
Coming soon

Vintage 2020
97 Points by Tim Atkin

BEST HIT
Killer Deal – from 6 Bottles
BOEKENHOUTSKLOOF
Syrah – 2019
CHF 43.90 instead of 59.00

Vintage 2020
96 Points by Tim Atkin

Killer Deal – from 6 Bottles
DAMASCENE
Syrah – 2020
CHF 36.90 instead of 49.00

Top Rated Wines Tim Atkin

Click on wines & learn more

Producers	REGION	Jg	Type	Points
Alheit Vineyards Hemelrand Vine Garden	Hemel-en-Aarde Ridge	2021	White	93
Alheit Vineyards Herafter Here	Western Cape	2021	White	94
Anthonij Rupert Cape of Good Hope Altima Sauvignon Blanc	Elandskloof	2021	White	92
Anthonij Rupert Cape of Good Hope Laing Semillon	Citrusdal Mountain	2021	White	93
Anthonij Rupert Cape of Good Hope Riebeeksrivier Caroline	Swartland	2020	White	93
Anthonij Rupert Cape of Good Hope Riebeeksrivier Chenin Blanc	Swartland	2021	White	91
Anthonij Rupert Cape of Good Hope Serruria Chardonnay	Elandskloof	2020	White	93
Anthonij Rupert L’Ormarins Blanc de Blancs MCC	Western Cape	2017	Sparkling	91
Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon	Franschhoek	2020	Red	95
Boekenhoutskloof Cabernet Sauvignon	Stellenbosch	2020	Red	95
Boekenhoutskloof Semillon	Franschhoek	2020	White	99
Boekenhoutskloof Syrah	Swartland	2020	Red	97
Boekenhoutskloof The Chocolate Block	Swartland	2021	Red	93
Boschkloof Syrah	Stellenbosch	2020	Red	94
Bouchard Finlayson Kaaimansgat Chardonnay	Elandskloof	2020	White	93
Bouchard Finlayson Tete de Cuvee Pinot Noir	Hemel-en-Aarde Valley	2020	Red	95
Cavalli Wine Estate Warlord	Stellenbosch	2019	Red	91
Cederberg Five Generations Cabernet Sauvignon	Cederberg	2019	Red	93
City on a Hill Chenin Blanc	Swartland	2021	White	94
City on a Hill Red	Swartland	2021	Red	93
City on a Hili White	Swartland	2021	White	93
Constantia Glen Five	Constantia	2019	Red	94
Constantia Glen Three	Constantia	2019	Red	93
Constantia Glen Two	Constantia	2020	White	93
Creation The Art of Chardonnay	WalkerBay	2021	White	95
Creation The Art of Pinot Noir	WalkerBay	2021	Red	96
David & Nadia Hoe-Steen OVP Chenin Blanc	Swartland	2021	White	96
David & Nadia Plat’bos OVP Chenin Blanc	Swartland	2021	White	97
David & Nadia Skaliekop OVP Chenin Blanc	Swartland	2021	White	96
De Grendel Amandelboord Pinotage	CapeTown	2020	Red	93
De Grendel Op Die Berg Chardonnay	Ceres Plateau	2021	White	94
De Grendel Op Die Berg Syrah	Ceres Plateau	2021	Red	93
De Grendel Sauvignon Blanc	CapeTown	2022	White	91
De Trafford Cabernet Sauvignon	Stellenbosch	2019	Red	94
De Trafford Elevation 393 Blend	Stellenbosch	2016	Red	95
De Trafford Elevation 393 Syrah	Stellenbosch	2019	Red	93
DeMorgenzon Chenin Blanc Reserve	Stellenbosch	2021	White	94
Diemersdal Private Collection	CapeTown	2020	Red	92
Erika Obermeyer Wines Erika O Cabernet Sauvignon	Stellenbosch	2019	Red	94
Gabrielskloof The Landscape Series Cabernet Franc	Bot River	2020	Red	95
Gabrielskloof The Landscape Series Syrah on Sandstone	Bot River	2020	Red	95
Gabrielskloof The Landscape Series Syrah on Shale	Bot River	2020	Red	95
Glenelly Estate Reserve Red	Stellenbosch	2017	Red	94
Glenelly Lady May	Stellenbosch	2018	Red	97
Graham Beck Blanc de Blancs MCC	Robertson	2017	Sparkling	94
Graham Beck Brut MCC	Western Cape	NV	Sparkling	90
Graham Beck Brut Rose MCC	Western Cape	NV	Sparkling	91
Kanonkop Black Label Pinotage	Stellenbosch	2020	Red	96
Kanonkop Cabernet Sauvignon	Stellenbosch	2018	Red	95
Kanonkop Kadette Cape Blend	Stellenbosch	2020	Red	91
Kanonkop Kadette Pinotage	Stellenbosch	2020	Red	92
Kanonkop Paul Sauer	Stellenbosch	2019	Red	98
Kanonkop Pinotage	Stellenbosch	2020	Red	94
Kershaw Clonal Selection Chardonnay	Elgin	2020	White	94
Klein Constantia Estate Sauvignon Blanc	Constantia	2021	White	92
Klein Constantia Metis Sauvignon Blanc	Constantia	2019	White	93
Klein Constantia Perdeblokke Sauvignon Blanc	Constantia	2021	White	94
Klein Constantia Vin de Constance	Constantia	2019	Sweet	96
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Chenin Blanc	Stellenbosch	2021	White	93
Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon	Stellenbosch	2020	Red	93
Le Riche Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve	Stellenbosch	2019	Red	95
Longridge Chardonnay	Stellenbosch	2020	White	92
Longridge Clos du Ciel Chardonnay	Stellenbosch	2018	White	95
Longridge Misterie	Stellenbosch	2017	Red	95
Longridge Ou Steen	Stellenbosch	2019	White	94
Lourens Family Wines Howard John	Swartland	2021	Red	93
Lourens Family Wines Lindi Carien	Western Cape	2021	White	95
Lourens Family Wines Skuinskap Steen	Piekenierskloof	2021	White	95
Meerlust Rubicon	Stellenbosch	2018	Red	95
Rall Ava Chenin Blanc	Swartland	2021	White	96
Rall Ava Syrah	Swartland	2021	Red	96
Rall Red	Swartland	2020	Red	94
Rall White	Coastal	2021	White	95
Reyneke Reserve Red	Stellenbosch	2019	Red	98
Reyneke Reserve White	Stellenbosch	2020	White	95
Rupert & Rothschild Baron Edmond	Stellenbosch	2018	Red	95
Savage Are We There Yet?	Maigas	2021	Red	94
Savage Follow The Line	Darling	2021	Red	95
Savage Girl Next Door	CapeTown	2021	Red	96
Savage Never Been Asked to Dance	Paar!	2021	White	93
Savage Not Tonight Josephine	Piekenierskloof	2021	Sweet	96
Savage Red	Stellenbosch	2020	Red	96
Savage Thief in the Night	Piekenierskloof	2021	Red	96
Savage White	Western Cape	2021	White	96
Shannon Mount Bullet Merlot	Elgin	2019	Red	95
Shannon Rock n Rolla Pinot Noir	Elgin	2020	Red	96
Sijnn Red	Maigas	2019	Red	96
Stellenrust 57 Barrel Fermented OVP Chenin Blanc	Stellenbosch	2021	White	94
Thelema Chardonnay	Stellenbosch	2019	White	94
Thelema Merlot Reserve	Stellenbosch	2020	Red	95
Thelema Rabelais	Stellenbosch	2020	Red	96
Thistle and Weed Brandnetel Chenin Blanc	Stellenbosch	2021	White	96
Thistle and Weed Duwweltjie OVP Chenin Blanc	Paar!	2021	White	94
Thistle and Weed Khakibos White Blend	Western Cape	2021	White	95
Van Loggerenberg Breton Cabernet Franc	Stellenbosch	2021	Red	96
Vilafonte Series C	Paar!	2019	Red	95
Warwick Professor Black Pitch Black	Stellenbosch	2020	Red	93
Warwick Trilogy	Stellenbosch	2019	Red	94
Waterford Estate Cabernet Sauvignon	Stellenbosch	2018	Red	94
Waterford Estate The Jem	Stellenbosch	2017	Red	97
Wolf and Woman Wines Grenache Blanc	Voor Paardeberg	2021	White	93
Wolf and Woman Wines OVP Chenin Blanc	Swartland	2021	White	94
Wolf and Woman Wines OVP Pinotage	Swartland	2021	Red	95
Wolf and Woman Wines Syrah	Swartland	2021	Red	94