Best Value Wine Guide 2012

Articles and Directories

• Best Value Awards
• Best Value Cellar Overall
• Best Value Cellar Directory
• Best Value in Numbers
• Best Value Wine Guide 2011

Best Value Wines

• Best Value Whites
• Best Value Rosé
• Best Value Reds
• Best Value Port and Sherry
• Best Value Dessert and Sparkling Wines

Best Value Cellar Overall

Winning the Best Value Winery of the Year Award for the fifth time is no small feat. In fact, what makes this achievement even more remarkable is that no other cellar has won more than once in the 12-year history of the competition. But Du Toitskloof has once again come through as Best Value’s top producer, having previously won in 2002, 2003, 2005 and yet again in 2010.

What makes Du Toitskloof achieve this with such apparent ease? Good vineyards is one of the answers. They lie across the Du Toitskloof Pass in the Breedekloof district near Rawsonville. Geography is all-important here. Being close to the mountains gives them good winter rainfall and a high water table for the vines to draw from, as well as cool growing conditions. This helps to intensify flavours and gives a good natural acid balance to both the white and red grapes.

Twenty-two farms covering 900 hectares, all lying within a 10km radius, supply the cellar. The short distance the grapes need to travel to the winery after harvesting is another quality factor, as there is minimal time for them to heat up or compact, and night or early-morning harvesting is also practised to make doubly sure.

Experience is another plus. Cellarmaster Marius Louw has a winemaking team that has been there for some time: Derek Cupido since 1993, Shawn Thomson since 1999, and Christo Basson since 2002, joined in 2011 by Willie Stofberg and assisted by consultant viticulturist Leon Dippenaar.

Like all the best cellars, little is left to chance: soils are regularly monitored to check moisture levels so that irrigation can be applied when needed, and replanting is done to ensure the vines are in the best possible health. And it goes without saying that they keep up with trends, offering all the main varieties and blends in their wine portfolio, as well as new varieties like Nebbiolo in the Reserve range and fashionable Viognier to brighten up a white blend.

Analysing Du Toitskloof’s performance this year, it got no less than 10 wines into the guide, covering the full spectrum: white and rosé sparkling wines (both Best Value Awards), Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc (Best Value Award), a white blend, Merlot, Pinotage, a red blend (Best Value Award), Cape Ruby and Hanepoot Jerepigo (Best Value Award).

The short answer on how this track record is possible, therefore, is that Du Toitskloof Cellar does most things right, of which undoubtedly the most important is the focus on quality.