About South African Wines from South Africa

About South African Wines from South Africa
Today, South Africa ranks as the eight largest producer of wine in the world. The wines however a still largely a secret, as there has not been a serious marketing push for these products. There are several excellent wine types, both white and red. For the former, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc have excelled, while for the red, international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are recent successes, joining the local variety Pinotage. The Chenin Blancs offer great varietal purity and are made in a dry to off-dry style. Sauvignon Blancs, especially those from the Western Cape or Stellenbosch areas, offering excellent varietal focus and impressive structure, have been critically praised. However, the reds, thought quite good, are less recognized, with Pinotage still a bit of a mystery as far as its image. Perhaps they producers will be able to get their message across soon about the quality of its wines, which will lead to better consumer recognition and additional sales.

Top Picks for South Africa

South African Wines

Darling Cellars 2024 Arum Fields Reserve Chenin Blanc
91 points
$16
Best Buy
Nice complexity with spot on South African typicity for Chenin Blanc; lovely ripe orchard fruit with good acidity and traditional weight to the body.
91 points $16 Best Buy
Darling Cellars 2022 Black Granite Vintage Reserve Red Blend Darling
91 points
$24
A nice red wine blend with good depth and heft that would be an excellent steakhouse BTG option.
Hartenberg Estate 2019 The Megan Red Blend Stellenbosch
91 points
$149
A big yet well-balanced red wine that has all the flavors of being warmed by the South African sun.
Darling Cellars 2022 Chocoholic Pinotage
87 points
$19
Wine made to pair with a backyard barbecue; lovely typicity.