Tim Atkin MW, who releases his tenth South Africa Report with Chenin Blanc and Stellenbosch wines showing particularly well, contends the 2021 vintage could rank as one of the Cape’s best-ever vintages to date. This year, there are 10 wines that score 98 each.
“Overall, I am extremely impressed with the quality of what I tasted in 2022, especially from the 2017 and 2021 vintages. I am more convinced than ever that 2017 deserves its place among the best-ever Cape harvests, as good as and, in some cases, even better than 2015. But I have a feeling that 2021 could equal and possibly surpass it.”
He is “amazed by the remarkable progress” the country has made since his first report issued in 2013 and is urging producers “to take great pride in Brand South Africa”. This is as 8,5% of the record 2 282 wines tasted from 433 wineries garner scores of 95 or higher. For several producers to feature on this list of 195 wines, it is a first-time achievement.
“South Africans are a resilient bunch, but I was amazed by how the wine sector has bounced back after so many pandemic-induced setbacks. Producers are still pushing viticultural boundaries in places like Sutherland, Stanford, as well as the Koo Plateau and the Agulhas Triangle and, at the top end, growing grapes that express their terroir with increasing fidelity and precision across the Western Cape. There is also a very interesting dynamic at play. Greater numbers of younger-generation winemakers are excelling, and prompting some of the more established producers to innovate more.”
Also encouraging is the strong commitment to addressing climate change with new approaches to rootstocks, trellising systems, cover crops and ploughing techniques to see what works best in drier conditions, while giving greater focus to drought-resistant varieties, from Assyrtiko to Vermentino.
Stellenbosch can reaffirm its pre-eminent regional position, as the source of a third of all the top-scoring wines, he confirms, followed at some distance by the Swartland.
