About White Wines from South Africa

About White Wines from South Africa
Today, South Africa ranks as the eight largest producer of wine in the world. The wines however a still largely a secret, as there has not been a serious marketing push for these products. There are several excellent wine types, both white and red. For the former, Chenin Blanc and Sauvignon Blanc have excelled, while for the red, international varieties such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot are recent successes, joining the local variety Pinotage. The Chenin Blancs offer great varietal purity and are made in a dry to off-dry style. Sauvignon Blancs, especially those from the Western Cape or Stellenbosch areas, offering excellent varietal focus and impressive structure, have been critically praised. However, the reds, thought quite good, are less recognized, with Pinotage still a bit of a mystery as far as its image. Perhaps they producers will be able to get their message across soon about the quality of its wines, which will lead to better consumer recognition and additional sales.

Top Picks for South Africa

White Wines

Naledi 2023  Chardonnay
92 points
$18
Best Buy
Pomaciously fruited and lightly robed in cream, this wine is a delicious interplay of soft and tart while finishing zesty; a very good Macon substitute.
92 points $18 Best Buy
Coastal Vibes NV  Sauvignon Blanc
92 points
$4
Best Buy
Has the herbal components to pair brilliantly with Thai food, but be careful, this wine is totally dry so it won't help to quench the heat.
92 points $4 Best Buy
Sunscape NV  Sauvignon Blanc
92 points
$9
Best Buy
Herbaceous with restrained fruit aromatics; a beautiful, lean, and textbook example of Sauvignon Blanc.
92 points $9 Best Buy
Darling Cellars 2024 Arum Fields Reserve Chenin Blanc
91 points
$16
Best Buy
Nice complexity with spot on South African typicity for Chenin Blanc; lovely ripe orchard fruit with good acidity and traditional weight to the body.
91 points $16 Best Buy
Hartenberg Estate 2023 Doorkeeper Unwooded Chardonnay
89 points
$58
A solidly tasty middle ground between Old World and California style Chardonnay.
Darling Cellars 2024 Reserve Bushvine Sauvignon Blanc
87 points
$16
Fruity and fun with bright acidity that wets the palate, this wine would be great with hors d'ouevres and a cheese board.
The Saltress 2023  Sauvignon Blanc
87 points
$13
Best Buy
A tasty, tropical fruit-forward version of Sauvignon Blanc.
87 points $13 Best Buy
Naledi 2023  Sauvignon Blanc
86 points
$18
Tropical fruit with some citrus and a pleasing green note; a good Sauvignon Blanc with a nice South African vibe.