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 Whites

The judges use a standard 20-point scoring system: 5 stars awarded for a score of 18 or more, 41⁄2 for 17 and 4 stars for a score of 16, 31⁄2 for 15.5 points, 3 stars for 15 out of 20 and 21⁄2 for 14.5 points. Wines rated lower than 21⁄2 stars were not eligible for inclusion in the 2012 Best Value Wine Guide, with the judges endeavouring to help consumers steer clear of plain ordinary wines in addition to those that are faulty or possibly even unpleasant.

	Superlative wine, top class; a masterpiece
	Excellent, wine of distinction (41⁄2 Stars = on the cusp of 5 Stars)
	Good (3 Stars) to very good (31⁄2 Stars). Fine character and style.
	Average, appealing
	Acceptable, ordinary
	Half a star, as in 21⁄2 Stars, 31⁄2 Stars, 41⁄2 Stars

Many believe that white wine is where South Africa’s strength lies. Below are 25 of the top Best Value white wines of 2012, 12 of which were awarded the highest accolade (V19 or V20) for their combined high quality score and affordable price.

344 white wines were entered and 213 judged for the Best Value Wine Guide 2012. Of these, 144 made the grade and have been featured in the guide. To see all finalists buy the book now.

WHITE WINE BLENDS

Legacy Johannisburger NV
R23.91		V20
Unpretentious, uncomplicated and yet so pleasant and quaffable. This wine demonstrates how appealing something can be when you blend various elements to make up a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts. Light honeysuckle nose gives way to apple, citrus and dried peach flavours in the mouth. Juicy with lovely balance and tangy acidity to the end.
Swartland D’Vine Chenin Blanc Sauvignon Blanc NV
R22.00		V19
There’s an interesting interplay of citrus and apricot from the Chenin Blanc with the fynbos, grass and wild herbs of the Sauvignon Blanc. Bright acidity keeps the palate from being flabby. Very well put together and rewards with ample drinking pleasure.
Saint Morand Fruity White NV
R22.33		V18
Really appealing muscat and turkish delight bouquet. In the mouth it is prettily sweet with lovely passionfruit, pineapple and guava. There are some spicy highlights too. Zesty acidity stops the rounded body from becoming flabby. Delicious, long fruited finish.
Arniston Bay The Shore NV
R23.00		V18
Perfect for sipping on a sun-baked beach. Melon and honey aromas make way for flavours of apricot, bruised apple and a touch of wax. Broad palate with some lees character and spice. A good glass of wine, but drink soon, one taster wrote.
Slanghoek Vinay Crispy White NV
R26.00		V18
Delivers what the name promises – crispy white. Some apple and flowers on the nose and palate. Uncomplicated and supremely simple. A quaffer.

CHARDONNAY

BC Wines Chardonnay 2011
R20.00		V20
Worcester winery Brandvlei cellars (that’s what the BC stands for, by the way) had to make way for the building of the Brandvlei dam, so it moved lock, stock and wine barrel. A former winner of the Best Value competition, it churns out easy-drinking wines at great prices. This is a tropical-styled Chardonnay with pineapple and tangerine aromas and flavours. It’s light to medium bodied with a long waxy finish.
De Wet Cellar Chardonnay 2010
R32.00		V20
Snap up this one! It’s a very smart wine – and one of only nine 4 Star wines in the Best Value Wine Guide... out of 380. Toasty creamy smoke nose gives way to a broad, rich palate packed with apricot, peach and vanilla cream. alluring marmalade highlights make this a serious proposition. The oak is well integrated and the wine boasts great weight and mouthfeel with a long, elegant aftertaste.
Goedverwacht Crane White Chardonnay 2010
R25.00		V16
As delicate and light as the bird it’s named after: lovely grenadilla nose and flavour with zesty lemon rind and sundried pineapple underneath. Some buttered toast and marmalade adds a note of oaked interest.
Bovlei Cellar Chardonnay 2011
R26.00		V15
Light pineapple and gentle floral aromatics. They follow to palate with lively acidity which makes for a refreshing mouthful. Nicely balanced and long.
Orange River Cellars Chardonnay 2010
R26.30		V15
Really appealing bouquet of apple strudel and honeyed baked fruit. The same baked apple as well as peach flavour can be distinguished in the mouth. There’s a touch of leesy breadth on the palate too.

CHENIN BLANC

Frisky Zebras Sultry Chenin Blanc NV
R30.00		V20
This is a non-vintage wine which is showing a bit of evolution and age. A spicy baked-apple nose makes way for a waxy citrus palate that is equally spicy. Rich and full, there’s ample fruit expression with moderate acidity keeping the mouthful fresh. It’s balanced and will appeal to fans of fuller-bodied whites. From United Nations of Wine.
Du Toitskloof Cellar Chenin Blanc 2011
R27.00		V19
Another of the many Value Award wines that contributed to overall honours for this Breedekloof cellar. It has a power-packed fruit nose with a veritable bushel of apples. On the palate it is ripe yet clean, fresh and zesty with some spicy apricot. That ripeness also makes for a sweeter, fruitier mouthful than most. Adding to it all is a balance, poise and dry finish which really appeals.
Alvi’s Drift Chenin Blanc 2010
R28.50		V18
A wine that over-delivers at its price point: some wax and lanolin aromas that make way for ripe peachy flavours. There’s a light barley sugar and spice on the palate too. Moderate acidity lifts it all. An eminently drinkable drop.
Kaapzicht Chenin Blanc 2011
R32.00		V16
Pass the custard or cream because this is fruit salad all the way! Clean and bright with lovely pears, apple and citrus fruit on nose and palate. Youthful and lively, yet immediately approachable.
Simonsvlei Premier Selection Chenin Blanc 2011
R33.00		V16
Very typical of Chenin Blanc – accessible and appealing apricot and nectarine fruit. Crisp and zesty with a touch of naartjie flavour too. Good succulence and light acidity. Finishes nice and dry.

SAUVIGNON BLANC

Odd Bins Bin 210 Sauvignon Blanc 2011
R29.99		V20
You’ve seen the adverts for Checkers’ wine selection on television – and this is one which really fits the bill. Lovely layers of flavour on the nose and palate. Lemongrass, lime and some lip-smackingly delicious grenadilla that perks the taste buds right up. It’s a happy wine, one taster wrote. Tangy, juicy, refreshing and with good length on the palate. It’s perfect for summertime – or anytime – drinking pleasure.
Bon Courage Sauvignon Blanc 2011
R41.00		V20
This is a Robertson cellar that manages to churn out great value, good quality wine across a variety of styles – reds, whites, sparkling and sweet. And it notched up a solid 4-Star rating with this tasty mouthful. Apricots, loquats, mandarins – all things orange, in fact. Tangy acidity, juicy and just downright yummy with lovely length and breadth on the palate. It’s not a scrawny, acidic, lean Sauvignon Blanc. Generosity abounds.
Van Loveren Sauvignon Blanc 2011
R32.00		V19
If you visit this winery on Saturday mornings, you get some of the best sweetcorn fritters this side of the Breede River – and did you know that paired with this passionfruit punch of a wine, it’s a marriage made in heaven? So accessible and drinkable because of its lively, zippy, zesty lime-juice acidity balanced by the ripeness of the passionfruit and citrus fruit flavour. Lovely and long on the finish.
Obikwa Sauvignon Blanc 2011
R27.00		V19
Don’t make like the ostrich on the label and stick your head in the sand – because if you lose out on the ridiculous value this wine offers, you’ll kick yourself. Unaffected, uncomplicated and simply scrumptious. Gooseberries are typical on Sauvignon Blanc and are plentiful in this example, along with some tangy lime citrus fruit. Good balance without being heavy or ponderous – or even too serious. Quaff away!
Silver Leaf Sauvignon Blanc 2011
R26.00		V19
This is not to be confused with the silver fern, something that is symbolically associated with New Zealand – a country which also makes pretty decent Sauvignon Blanc. This is gently reminiscent of their style in its asparagus and vegetal aromas and flavours. There’s a powerful lime intensity to this as well. It’s vibrant and lingers long on the palate.

OTHER WHITES

Orange River Cellars Colombard 2011
R22.50		V20
Orange River Cellars has five wineries located along the 400km stretch that it occupies alongside the Gariep River in the Northern Cape. There’s a lot of Colombard planted in those 400km... this fruit is so deftly handled. It shows light elderflower, melon and guava aromas and flavours. Some Golden Delicious apple generosity too. The balance between fruit ripeness and acidity is a delight. Lovely easy-drinking style of wine that refreshes to the end. Uncomplicated and enjoyable.
Aan de Doorns Semi-Sweet Colombar 2011
R22.00		V17
Kiwi fruit and grass bouquet. A sweet fruity entry in the mouth – watermelon, kiwi and a bit of apricot. Simple and uncomplicated. Popular style that offers heaps of drinking pleasure.
Van Loveren Neil’s Pick Colombar 2011
R25.00		V15
Tropical appeal in this melon and green fruit crowd-pleaser. Some zippy lemony lightness adds interest. Nice and crisp. Commercial and straightforward.
Alvi’s Drift Viognier 2010
R34.20		V15
Lovely peach nectarine flavours take over from a gentle thatch and stone-fruit bouquet. A wine with a bit more body, bold ripe fruit and a touch of honey at the end. Succulence and fresh acidity that keeps you coming back for more.
Bovlei Winery Gewürztraminer 2010
R26.00		V14
There’s nothing shy about Gewürztraminer. It’s in-your-face rose petals and litchi perfume galore. Appealing ripeness and bold Turkish delight tang on the palate with some barley sugar nuances. Very tasty.