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  • Writer's pictureErica Taylor

Winemag.co.za reveals the Prescient Top 20 Wines SA 2021 and Winery of the Year.

Vergelegen takes top honours.

Cape Town: Friday was a beautiful night in Cape Town as wine industry insiders came out to the Radisson Blu Waterfront to find out who won the top wine awards.

MC'ed by the hilarious Guy McDonald, the night kicked off on the yacht-facing deck with a tasting of the best White wines paired with South African-inspired hors d'oeuvres. At the same time, saxophonist Georgia Jones joined DJ NYX to set the tone for the evening.

Guests were welcomed by Hayden Reinders, Head of Business Development and Client Management for Prescient Fund Services. "It was an excellent evening where we got to combine our passion for investments and wine; to meet up with the very best in South African wine and its winemakers, and we got to invite our clients who also equally had a great time."


Winemag.co.za editor & panel chair Christian Eedes then took the stage with Cheree Dyers, CEO of Prescient Investment Management, to reveal and congratulate the Top 20 Wines SA by category.


Best of Category

WHITES

  • CAP CLASSIQUE: Miss Molly Blanc de Blancs 2015 (94-points)

  • CAPE WHITE BLEND: The Tea Leaf 2020 (94-points)

  • CHARDONNAY: Constantia Uitsig Reserve 2020 (94-points)

  • CHENIN BLANC: Cavalli Filly 2020 (96-points)

  • NICHE WHITE: Vergelegen Reserve Semillon 2019 (93-points)

  • SAUVIGNON BLANC- UNWOODED: Vergelegen Sauvignon Blanc 2021 (95-points)

  • SAUVIGNON BLANC- WOODED: Carmen Stevens Sauvignon Blanc 2019 (94-points)

  • SAUVIGNON BLANC- SEMILLON BLEND: Wade Bales Regional Series Constantia White 2019 (96-points)

REDS

  • CABERNET SAUVIGNON: Rust en Vrede Single Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (94-points)

  • CAPE BORDEAUX RED BLEND: DeMorgenzon Maestro Red 2017 (96-points)

  • MERLOT: De Grendel Merlot 2019 (92-points)

  • NICHE RED: Zorgvliet Petit Verdot 2018 (94-points)

  • PINOT NOIR: Bosman Upper Hemel-en-Aarde Pinot Noir 2020 (94-points)

  • PINOTAGE: Môreson The Widow Maker 2019 (94-points)

  • SHIRAZ: Zandvliet Hill of Enon 2019 (95-points)

  • SIGNATURE RED BLEND: Mary le Bow Red 2018 (94-points)

SWEET WINE & FORTIFIEDS

  • MUSCADEL: De Krans Muscat Blanc 2020 (93-points)

  • NOBEL LATE HARVEST: Boschendal Vin D'Or 2018 (92-points)

  • PORT: Boplaas Cape Vintage Reserve Port 2009 (96-points)

  • STRAW WINE: Villa Esposto Muscat D'Alexandrie 2019 (92-points)

The red wine tasting paired with the main course was revved-up when Barry van Zyl, the long-time drummer from the Johnny Clegg band, took the stage with his Resonance performance as we waited with anticipation for the announcement of best white wine overall, best red wine overall and the Winery of the Year award.

  • BEST WHITE OVERALL: Cavalli Filly 2020 (96-points)

  • BEST RED OVERALL: DeMorgenzon Maestro Red 2017 (96-points)

  • WINERY OF THE YEAR: Vergelegen


Winemaker André van Rensburg was in-person to accept the award... punching the air and exclaiming, "This means the world to me. I am so honoured."

This year, almost 1000 wines were tasted blind by a three-person panel from the Winemag judges and scored on the 100-point quality scale.


Winemag judges:

  • Christian Eedes (Panel Chair)

  • Ndaba Dube

  • Malu Lambert

  • Roland Peens

  • James Pietersen

  • Jolette Steyn

  • Cathy van Zyl MW

"Despite all the adversities the wine industry has faced in recent times, quality remains extraordinarily high, and producers deserve all the praise that comes their way. In particular, a big shout-out to the Winery of the year Vergelegen - the massive replanting programme that this property undertook to eradicate leaf-roll virus shows that excellence is no accident." Christian Eedes

Wade Bales, as the producer of the Best Sauv-Sem Blend, and DeMorgenzon, as the producer of the Best Cape Bordeaux Red Blend, both won a new barrel sponsored by Tonnellerie Sylvain.


Johannesburg boutique wine retailer Dry Dock Liquor offers the Top 20 wines for sale and can deliver nationwide.

Find out more


For greater insight into the winning wines, download the following: Prescient Top 20 Wine South Africa 2021


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