‘Grand Wines’ (or Grand Vin, as in French) are commonly regarded as the best a producer has to offer – showing a level of intellectual or emotional stimulation able to capture the consumer’s imagination and intrigue, if not delight, the palate. ‘Grand Wines’ are ideally associated with a particular area (the terroir principle), as well as a style or particular wine-making philosophy. However, there is nothing wrong if some wines with unique nuances reflecting a broader landscape and falling outside this restriction are part of a ‘Grand Wines’ group. But, which wines could be considered for such a high accolade?
All wine competitions or magazine reviews reflect a once off opinion as a single vintage tasting. In fact, producers have to enter to stand a chance of winning. It also accounts for top wines featuring one year and disappear the next. But, that is the nature of a once-off tasting. Then there is also the real chance that a 5 star accolade is a once-off thing as well. Top wine does not do that! Especially, if cognisance is taken of the particular accolades bestowed on a wine, apart from just a tasting opinion. And surely there should be some categorising too to compare apples with apples. Price considerations would otherwise be of little use.
Driven by a desire to highlight the exceptional nature of South Africa’s top wines, SAWi (the South African Wine Index) has applied its indexing methodology to data available for ALL qualifying wines produced in South Africa. Ultimately, a ‘Grand Wine’ should simply stand ahead of its peers as a wine that exhibits the best on offer, in the best possible way. This must be achieved year on year, the reason for the SAWi non-vintage result. While a number of wines are close to being part of this selection, it does not yet show such a clear and deserved pedigree and track record.
In the four years since it was first introduced, the Index has gained traction in South Africa as a reliable and accurate tool that accommodates the often-criticised vagaries of traditional wine competitions and today represents an aspirational benchmark of quality. In the process of building out a 10 year multi-vintage performance window for each wine (based on the mix of SAWI criteria – a unique development in the wine world), here are the names of the wines that achieved a rating of 93 or higher, and which make up the ‘South African Grand Wines Collection’.
The result is not simply a list of great South African wines, but a collection that commands the attention of the world, being very close to the very best South Africa has to offer. The ‘South African Grand Wines Collection’ is undoubtedly as close to a complete and unbiased list of top achieving wines as it is possible to come. Using the ‘South African Grand Wines Collection’, the stage is now set for South Africa to showcase its finest wines to the world’s luxury consumers.
COMMENTARY
Given that judgement and commentary are an integral part of the world of wine, it indeed creates an opportunity to analyze the South African ‘Grand Wines Collection’ and what trends it shows up and what to expect. Today, whilst fine wine has a large audience, there are infinitely also many more wines, many with a different cultural bias. The time has arrived for the world to take particular note of these South African ‘Superstar’ wines.
With an expected a premium tag normally added to its price, critical interpretations are essential. Authenticity and credibility is already provided through the SAWi methodology with the wine ratings representing a condensed capsule of opinions about a wine from best known and reputable judges here and elsewhere in the world. Wine enthusiasts can now rely on a useful tool to make decisions on which top wines to acquire in future.
Linked to a time and place, the ‘South African Grand Wines Collection’ represents 125 natural wines with only 15%+ non-terroir related. These show up the variety from the SA landscape in different ways enhancing complexity and structure of such wines. While 12 distinct Stellenbosch terroir pockets represent almost 50% of the collection, other areas has a strong representation with Hermanus (with Elgin) and Tulbagh in particular standing out, lesser so Constantia and Cape Agulhas but, still worth a mention.
Cultivar wise, white wines are dominated by Sauvignon Blanc, Chenin Blanc and Chardonnay, each sharing about an equal 30% in this category. Of particular note is that there are wines for all discerning palates which play out almost 50/50 amongst lighter and heavier examples in both the white and red wine Collection.
Chenin Blanc can be found equally amongst the lighter crispy, refreshing and slightly stronger examples. This trend is also noticeable with Chardonnay, although tends to be more rich, buttery and generous. Then the list also shows nice minerally, citrusy, floral and aromatic type of white wines. Only about a third of the white wines were barrel matured and not for more than 12 months.
Reds dominate with 70 wines with the Bordeaux Blend type wines (almost 30% of the red class), followed, as could generally be expected by Shiraz (just over 20%). All red cultivars are represented in this Collection. Cabernet shows some 10 wines, while Pinotage and Merlot only showing half of that number on the list. Less than 10% of the Collection is blended wines.
Here too there is an array of lighter fruity perfumed examples right through to the rich savoury complex and even classic oaky wines. Noticeable is that the Pinot Noir wines are almost all in the former category with the Shiraz and Bordeaux Blend type wines tending to the more heavier and robust category. In between there are still good examples of these wines with full flavoured and spicy tones amongst other cultivars too. The average maturation period for about 60% of these red wines are 18 to 24 months in oak barrels.
