South Africa is justifiably known for Chenin Blanc, its signature grape, because of the quality of the wines made from it. And for reasons I don’t understand, Chenin Blanc wines from South Africa, like this one, are underappreciated — and underpriced — for what they deliver.… Read more

Alheit Vineyards shows that South Africa can produce stunning Chenin Blanc, and at a modest level of alcohol. Their glossy and vibrant 2024 Fire by Night, from 40- to 50-year-old vines, delivers mouth-coating richness without heaviness. The 12.5 percent stated alcohol shows that richness and depth can be attained with excessive ripeness.… Read more

Though France’s Loire Valley is considered the birthplace and home of Chenin Blanc, South Africa has twice as much planted and indeed, is that country’s signature white wine. Shawn Mathyse, their masterful winemaker, bottles several different ones depending on the source of the grapes.… Read more

($80, Sovereign Wine Imports):  Unsurprisingly, this Chardonnay, with its 14.5 percent stated alcohol, delivers considerably more oomph than Capensis’ Silene bottling.  More complexity accompanies the additional power, yet the wine is not flamboyant or over-the-top.  There is a subtle melon-like fruitiness. … Read more

($40, Sovereign Wine Imports):  Capensis is a Jackson Family project in South Africa.  As you would expect from the Jackson Family, the wines are very good.  This offering, their “entry level” (a term I dislike, but am at a loss for an alternative), conveys mild fruitiness and invigorating bright acidity. … Read more

($115, Sovereign Wine Imports):  The Fijnbosch bottling, the weightiest of this trio of Capensis Chardonnays, still manages not to avoid the buttery and overdone trap.  Instead, it is rich and creamy, quite delectable.  Bright backbone keeps it fresh and in balance. … Read more

($20, Vineyard Brands):  This Cabernet over-delivers for the price.  Perhaps it’s the inclusion of a little Cinsault (8%) and Shiraz (6%), but whatever it is, there is a fabulous combination of savory — black and green olive notes — intertwined with black fruit flavors. … Read more

($16, Vineyard Brands):  Chenin Blanc can be one of the great white wines of the world.  Its problem, similar to Riesling, another spectacular white wine, is that the wines range from dry to sweet and that the style is often not apparent from looking at the label, confusing the consumer. … Read more

($25, Quintessential):  Winemakers can have difficulty taming Pinotage, a grape created by a genetic crossing of Pinot Noir and Cinsault, when transforming it into red wine.  Simonsig has done a fabulous job using the grape in this rosé sparkling wine.  A blend Pinot Noir (63%), Pinotage (35%) and Pinot Meunier, this bubbly delivers subtle red fruit notes with exotic accents — which seem attributable to Pinotage’s contributions. … Read more

($20): South Africa is home to some of the best Chenin Blanc in the world.  Indeed, aside from the Loire Valley, I can think of nowhere that produces such high quality Chenin Blanc so consistently.  It should be that country’s signature white grape. … Read more

($14, Carolina Wine Company): Paul Cluver, a family owned and run vineyard and winery, lies about 40 miles southeast of Cape Town in the cool Elgin Valley.  They specialize in varietals that thrive in cooler climates, such as this Sauvignon Blanc, which has a seamless mixture of fruit and pungency. … Read more

($22, Carolina Wine Company): The location of Paul Cluver winery in the cool Elgin Valley southeast of Cape Town explains why they excel with Riesling, a variety that thrives in cooler climes.  This dry one has a touch of minerality to accompany the bracing lime-like acidity. … Read more

($40, Pacific Highway Wines and Spirits): Elgin, a region about 60 miles south east of Cape Town, is known for its cool climate because of its proximity to the ocean.   Chardonnay does well in cool climate because the lower temperatures at night allow the grapes to hold on to their acidity, which translates into freshness in the wine. … Read more

($17, Cape Classics): Cutting and piercing in an attractive way, Mulderbosch’s Sauvignon Blanc is the ideal foil for spicy Asian fare.  It will cut through anything on the plate, without being overshadowed, and reawaken any palate.  Its laser-like cut is startling without being aggressive or sharp and actually reinforces the wine’s flavors — an unusual combination to say the least.… Read more

($20, The Hess Collection):  A plush Bordeaux blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (52%), Malbec (16%), Merlot (14%), Petit Verdot (13%) and Cabernet Franc, Glen Carlou’s Grand Classique is rich without being overdone.  Bright cherry-like acidity keeps it fresh and lively.  Smoky, herbal nuances complement the ripe flavors. … Read more

($39, Vineyard Brands):  Practically abutting the Atlantic Ocean and feeling its cooling effect, Walker Bay is the capital of Pinot Noir in South Africa.  And there’s no doubt that Hamilton Russell Vineyards is one of the area’s leading producers (they also make stunningly good Chardonnay). … Read more

($14, Frederick Wildman):  Merlot has taken its fair share of bashing, often deserved.  But there are plenty of distinctive ones, such as this wine, that are easy to recommend because they deliver an appealing combination of ripe fruit notes and leafy, savory elements. … Read more

($9, Vineyard Brands):  Since it’s never too early to think about warmer weather, put this one on your list for summertime sipping.  South Africa has more Chenin Blanc planted than any other country in the world.  Producers there make a wonderful array of styles from bone dry to lusciously sweet. … Read more

($17, Vineyard Brands): Bright and stony, this invigorating Chardonnay offers far more complexity and sophistication than most at this price.  An alluring flinty–almost smoky–quality is reminiscent of Chablis.  Consumers looking for more richness and a fatter style of Chardonnay will be disappointed. … Read more

($17, Vineyard Brands):  Bright and stony, this invigorating Chardonnay offers far more complexity and sophistication than most at this price.  An alluring flinty, almost smoky quality is reminiscent of Chablis.  Consumers looking for more richness and a fatter style of Chardonnay will be disappointed. … Read more

($10, Vineyard Brands):  Porcupine Ridge is one of four labels produced by Boekenhoutskloof, one of South Africa’s finest producers.  (As a point of trivia, Boekenhoutskloof means ravine of the boekenhout [pronounced book-n-howed], a tree unique to the area, the wood of which is prized for furniture). … Read more

($20, Vineyard Brands):  Neil Ellis produces consistently high quality wines at all price levels.  This, an upper tier Shiraz, is well worth it not because it is more powerful, but because it’s more complex.  Not over-the-top, it’s a lovely balance of layers of spice and black fruit. … Read more

($27):  A blend of mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (92%) with a little Merlot (6%), and Cabernet Franc, it’s riper and more fruit forward than the usually more restrained Cabernet from South Africa.   Hints of non-fruit flavors peek through and add complexity.  Firm tannins and lively acidity help keep it from going over-the-top, but I can’t help wondering if some South African winemakers are catching the international high alcohol and slightly overripe virus.… Read more

($20, Vineyard Brands):  A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (49%), Merlot (42%), Cabernet Franc (6%) and Shiraz, this is surprisingly more fruit-forward than many of Ellis’s past offerings.  Nonetheless, it delivers herbal, earthy notes that give it complexity and prevent it from being a fruit bomb. … Read more

($13, Vineyard Brands): The Porcupine Ridge label from Boekenhoutskloof invariably offers great value.  This 2008 Syrah is no exception.  Expressing the meaty, beefy side of Syrah rather than the peppery aspect, it is an engaging wine with supple texture that makes it perfect for current drinking with hearty fare.… Read more

($10, Vineyard Brands): Although it’s Charles Back’s pun-laden labels that catch your attention, the wine in the bottle is what holds it.  Hints—just hints—of apricot and peach-like flavors buttressed by good acidity makes this southern Rhone lookalike easy to recommend.  Clean and fresh, without a trace of heaviness, it has surprising length, especially at the price.… Read more

($25, Leucadia Cellars and Estate): This Chardonnay is just another example of how South Africa is likely the most under appreciated country for fine wine.  It walks the fine line between overt fruitiness and flavors characteristic of the New World and the restraint and tautness of white Burgundy. … Read more

($13, Vineyard Brands): This South African rendition of Sauvignon Blanc falls somewhere in the middle of spectrum of styles that this grape can produce, falling between the laser-like edginess of one from New Zealand and the riper notes common to California. … Read more

($23, Vineyard Brands): The team at Spice Route got it right with this Viognier, a grape that can be difficult to transform into a balanced wine.  Floral notes reminiscent of honeysuckle grab your attention.  On the palate, its fleshy texture and hints of peaches are balanced by solid acidity. … Read more

($28, Maisons Marques and Domaines): As good as Meerlust’s other wines are–and they are quite good–this one, their flagship, is delectable.  The blend of the Bordeaux-style wine varies from vintage to vintage.  The 2005 is roughly 70% Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder split equally between Merlot and Cabernet Franc.… Read more

($44, Boutique Wine Collection): Meinert puts Pinotage, the unique South African cross of Cinsault and Pinot Noir, to good use by adding a small–10%–of it in the this blend of equal parts Cabernet and Merlot.  Pinotage by itself can be off-putting with its aroma that can sometimes smell like adhesive tape, but in this wine it adds a wonderfully exotic spice-like and component that supplements earthy notes and balances the lush fruitiness of the other varietals. … Read more

($23, Maison Marques and Domaines): Meerlust, a family owned winery best known for their red wines, walks the line between the flamboyance of New World wine and the austerity and minerality of Burgundy with this captivating Chardonnay, the only white wine they produce. … Read more

($27, Maison Marques and Domaines): While many California wineries are releasing their 2006 and 2007 Merlot, this 2005 is Meerlust’s current offering.  As a family owned winery, Meerlust can avoid the bean counters’ focus on quarterly returns and hold the wine until they think its ready for release. … Read more

($9, Boutique Wine Collection): This wine is part of Ken Forrester’s Petit tier, the lowest of his three tiers of wine.  By that ‘lowly’ stature shouldn’t deter you from buying it.  Fruity without being sweet, it is lively and fresh and has surprising length, especially given its price. … Read more

($23, Boutique Wine Collection): This is the only winery located in the Cape Point, a district south of Cape Town on a peninsula that separates the Atlantic Ocean from False Bay. But after sampling this wine, I expect to see more. … Read more

($20, Boutique Wine Collection): Forrester says his Grenache vineyard, almost 50 years old, is the only one in Stellenbosch because the remaining ones were pulled up during apartheid by the government-run wine monopoly.  That seems very unfortunate, judging from this wine, which manages to combine fresh fruit with slightly spiced gamey elements into a harmonious package. … Read more

($17, Vineyard Brands): Ellis, one of South Africa’s leading producers, makes two Chardonnays, one from grapes grown in Stellenbosch and this one, from Elgin, South Africa’s coolest viticultural area. The cool climate is expressed by a dazzling freshness and vigor that enhances and amplifies its underlying toasty creaminess. … Read more

($30, Cape Classics): Bruwer Raats and his brother, Jasper, founded the winery only in 2001 and have already made themselves a fine reputation.  They specialize in only two wines, Chenin Blanc and this Cabernet Franc, a varietal that is not planted widely in South Africa. … Read more

($30, Cape Classics): Rudi Schultz is best known as the talented winemaker at Thelema, a producer known for their stellar Cabernet Sauvignon.  He also makes a small amount of wine–this excellent Syrah–under his own name.  It’s a marvelous combination of both the ripe, plummy side of Syrah as well as the peppery notes that it can show. … Read more

($14, Vineyard Brands): Although this Shiraz emphasizes the plummy flavors of the grape, subtle notes of black pepper come through in the background adding welcome complexity.  Adequate acidity in this ripe and forward wine keeps it from being jammy. 88 Michael Apstein Feb 24, 2009… Read more

($10): Charles Back continues to turn out well-priced solid wines with more character than the price suggests.  This lively Rhône-like blend conveys hints of stone fruits buttressed by vibrant acidity.  It’s simple and direct, but beautifully balanced with vivacity that keeps it interesting throughout a meal.… Read more

($9, Vineyard Brands): This vibrant, pleasantly pungent Sauvignon Blanc is a terrific value.  Simple and direct, it delivers a clear–but not aggressive–herbaceous bite characteristic of Sauvignon Blanc.  If there’s a more enjoyable $9 Sauvignon Blanc on the market, I’ve yet to find it.… Read more

($18, Vineyard Brands): Viognier can be a tough grape to vinify because its characteristic aromatics and flavors don’t emerge unless the grape is quite ripe, which can translate into a high and intrusive level of alcohol.  This Spice Route rendition pulls it off nicely, with alluring hints of peaches and honeysuckle without heaviness or the burn of alcohol. … Read more

($18, Cape Wine Ventures): Whether the blend of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay, Viognier, Grenache Blanc, Roussanne, and Verdelho (what, no kitchen sink?) is intentional or they just used what was left over, it works.  Great floral aromatics and honeysuckle notes suggest it will be sweet, but it’s not. … Read more

($26, Cape Wine Ventures): A typical Mediterranean blend of Shiraz, Mourvèdre and Viognier crushed together and co-fermented, this wine has impressive power without going over the top.  The decision to age half the wine in one-year-old oak barrels (and the rest in new oak) helps keep the wine in balance. … Read more

($59, Vineyard Brands): Normally I don’t care for wines with these kinds of fanciful names, but given the unpronounceable name of the producer–Boekenhoutskloof–the rationale is clear and above reproach.  It’s kind of a Rhône blend–Syrah (55%), Grenache (20%), Cinsault (5%) and Viognier (4%)–but then there’s Cabernet Sauvignon to round it out. … Read more

($19, Vineyard Brands): This dense wine shows the attractively rustic side of Mourvèdre and delivers a good combination of Old World structure and New World fruit.  The tannins are present, but not intrusive, and lend needed support for the ripe black fruit flavors. … Read more

($13, Vineyard Brands): This hodge-podge blend of Italian and French varieties (Barbera, Mourvèdre, Sangiovese, Cabernet Sauvignon, Primitivo and Nebbiolo) produces what I like to call a ‘pizza wine;’ a simple, but lively, everyday kind of beverage.  This one delivers fresh red fruit flavors and mild tannins. … Read more