Wine News: SAWi Grand Wines Collection 2020

The ‘Grand Wines Collection’ (GWC), a wine selection that highlights South Africa’s best selection of consistently top scoring wines, has just been released by SAWi.

The GWC represents a class of wines never before identified as a group.

To be able to declare this milestone followed the application of a wine classification methodology that took 10 years to complete. It came through applying a unique ‘Algorithm of Excellence’, by which the results of blind tasting competitions were continuously collated through exacting criteria, i.e. scoring wines according to strict competition status criteria.

For the list of wine competitions visit www.sawineindex.com/page/list-of-wine-competitions/.

The result opens a condensed window of a wine’s achievements at multi-national blind tastings over multi-vintages. Only wines with a score of 93+ out of 100 were then included in the ‘Collection’.

The group also boasts wines referred to as ‘SAWi Ambassadors’ that have shown tenaciousness and sustained vigour in achieving scores of 95 points and above.

The GWC currently includes just over 400 South African wines or 5.3% of all bottled wines featuring tasting results, representing 140 wineries. Updates will be on-going within a 10 year roll-over system.

This announcement is a significant milestone for the local wine industry, The GWC offers an objective response to the elusive concept ‘how to identify an excellent wine’, and provides an opportunity for wine lovers to become stakeholders in the GWC by acquiring fine wines for collection and enjoyment.

GWC wines can be identified through the SA Wine Index’s Grand Gold (93-94 points) and Platinum (95+ points) bottle stickers.

Visit www.sawineindex.com for more information about SAWi. Contact Izak Smit at info@sawineindex.com or 0825777037

BEST WINES IN SOUTH AFRICA (in ranking order)

1		Villiera Wines Prestige Cuvée Monro Brut Mèthode Cap Classique
2		Groot Constantia Estate Grand Constance Muscat de Frontignan
3		Wildekrans Wine Estate Reserve Barrel Select Pinotage
4		Eagles' Nest Shiraz
5		Nederburg Private Bin Eminence Noble Late Harvest Muscadel
6		Saronsberg Cellar Full Circle Shiraz Mourvèdre Viognier
7		De Morgenzon Reserve Chenin Blanc
8		Nederburg Winemaster's Reserve Noble Late Harvest Chenin Blanc Muscat de Frontignac
9		Saronsberg Cellar Shiraz
10		KWV Classic Collection Cape Tawny Port
11		Rijk's Reserve Pinotage
12		La Motte Pierneef Shiraz Viognier
13		Groot Constantia Estate Shiraz
14		Bouchard Finlayson Galpin Peak Pinot Noir
15		Stellenrust '53' Barrel FermentedChenin Blanc
16		Distell Van Ryn's 12 Year Old Distiller's Reserve Brandy
17		Kleine Zalze Wines Family Reserve Sauvignon Blanc Sur Lie
18		Kleine Zalze Wines Vineyard Selection Barrel Fermented Chardonnay
19		Graham Beck Chardonnay Blanc de Blanc Brut Mèthode Cap Classique
20		Nederburg Private Bin Edelkeur
21		Eagles' Nest Merlot
22		Flagstone Winery Writer's Block Pinotage
23		Distell Van Ryn's 15 Year Old Fine Cask Reserve Brandy
24		Aaldering Vineyards & Wines Pinotage
25		Cederberg Private Cellar Shiraz
26		Graham Beck Brut Rosé NV Mèthode Cap Classique
27		Cape Point Vineyards Isliedh Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
28		Klein Constantia Estate Vin de Constance
29		Rijk's Private Cellar Pinotage
30		Groot Constantia Estate Chardonnay
31		Distell Oude Meester 18 YO Soverein Brandy
32		Wildekrans Wine Estate Barrel Select Reserve Shiraz
33		Constantia Glen Five Merlot Cabernet Malbec Cab Franc Petit Verdot
34		D'Aria Wines Songbird Sauvignon Blanc
35		Diemersfontein Wines Carpe Diem Reserve Pinotage
36		Laborie Wine Farm Alambic Potstill Brandy
37		Groot Constantia Estate Pinotage
38		La Motte Shiraz
39		Tokara Directors Reserve White Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
40		Boplaas Family Vineyards Cape Tawny Port
41		Lomond Single Vineyard Conebush Syrah
42		Eikendal Vineyards Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
43		De Toren Private Cellar Fusion V Cabernet Cab Franc Malbec Merlot Petit Verdot
44		Paul Cluver Estate Wines Chardonnay (Elgin)
45		Elgin Vintners Pinot Noir
46		Hamilton Russell Vineyards Chardonnay
47		Doolhof Wine Estate Signatures of Doolhof SV Malbec
48		Laborie Wine Farm Blanc de Blanc Brut Mèthode Cap Classique
49		Kleine Zalze Wines Family Reserve Shiraz
50		Aaldering Vineyards & Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot