The best wines of South Africa

Discover the best wines of South Africa as well as the best winemakers of South Africa and estates of South Africa to visit. Explore the popular grape varieties of South Africa and the best vintages to taste in this region.

Top wines of South Africa by region

Looking for a good wine of South Africa among the top wines in the region? Check out our tops of the best red, white or effervescent wines of South Africa. Also find some food and wine pairings that may be appropriate with these exceptional wines. Learn more about the region and the wines of South Africa with technical and enological descriptions.

Great red wines of South Africa

See the top 100 best red wines of South Africa

Want to buy a red wine of South Africa cheap or sell a red wine of South Africa at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a red wine of South Africa

Red wines from the region of South Africa go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, lamb or pork such as recipes of beef tongue with vegetables, leg of lamb in a casserole or basque chicken with chorizo.

Organoleptic analysis of red wine of South Africa

On the nose the red wine of the region of South Africa. often reveals types of flavors of cream, raisin or spices and sometimes also flavors of black plum, cigar box or cigar. In the mouth the red wine of the region of South Africa. is a powerful with a nice balance between acidity and tannins.

The best vintages in red wine of South Africa

  • 2019With an average score of 4.70/5
  • 2006With an average score of 4.62/5
  • 2017With an average score of 4.61/5
  • 2018With an average score of 4.60/5
  • 2014With an average score of 4.59/5
  • 2008With an average score of 4.59/5

The most used grape varieties in red wine of South Africa

  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Shiraz/Syrah
  • Cabernet Franc
  • Merlot
  • Pinotage
  • Malbec

The best wineries and winemakers for red wine of South Africa

A wine route planned in the region of South Africa? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best red wine of South Africa.

Discovering the wine region of South Africa

South Africa is one of the most important wine producing countries in the southern hemisphere. With over 300 years of wine making history, it is often described as a bridge between the Old and New Worlds. The majority of wines are produced using New World winemaking techniques, but they often have more stylistic similarities with their Old World counterparts. Since the end of apartheid, South African wine has received international attention and recognition for its wide variety of styles.

The South African wine industry is spread across the lush and rugged landscape of the Western Cape. Here, the abundance of mountains, valleys and plateaus allows winemakers to produce a wide variety of styles. Wineries can also be found in the Orange River region of the Northern Cape, where the flat, arid landscape is dominated by the Kalahari Desert. Most of South Africa's wine regions have a MediterraneanClimate, strongly influenced by the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans.

The country's signature Grape is Pinotage">Pinotage, an indigenous cross between Pinot Noir and Cinsaut that is rarely found in quantity in any other wine producing country. Shiraz is also widespread, as are Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot (often combined in a Bordeaux blend). However, white grape varieties account for 55% of the country's 96,000 hectares of vineyards. Chenin Blanc is the most planted grape variety in the republic with 18.

Great white wines of South Africa

See the top 100 best white wines of South Africa

Want to buy a white wine of South Africa cheap or sell a white wine of South Africa at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a white wine of South Africa

White wines from the region of South Africa go well with generally quite well with dishes of shellfish, lean fish or fruity desserts such as recipes of slivers of squid with tomato, cod with green onion or the coughing cat's apple crumble.

Organoleptic analysis of white wine of South Africa

On the nose the white wine of the region of South Africa. often reveals types of flavors of pineapple, hay or floral and sometimes also flavors of dried fruit, smoke or wax. In the mouth the white wine of the region of South Africa. is a powerful with a nice freshness.

The best vintages in white wine of South Africa

  • 1947With an average score of 4.70/5
  • 2009With an average score of 4.52/5
  • 2010With an average score of 4.51/5
  • 2008With an average score of 4.47/5
  • 2012With an average score of 4.45/5
  • 2011With an average score of 4.45/5

The most used grape varieties in white wine of South Africa

  • Chardonnay
  • Chenin Blanc
  • Sémillon
  • Palomino
  • Viognier
  • Grenache Blanc

The best wineries and winemakers for white wine of South Africa

A wine route planned in the region of South Africa? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best white wine of South Africa.

Discover the grape variety: Malbec

Malbec, a high-yielding red grape variety, produces tannic and colourful wines. It is produced in different wine-growing regions and changes its name according to the grape variety. Called Auxerrois in Cahors, Malbec in Bordeaux, it is also known as Côt. 6,000 hectares of the Malbec grape are grown in France (in decline since the 1950s). Malbec is also very successful in Argentina. The country has become the world's leading producer of Malbec and offers wines with great potential.

Great sparkling wines of South Africa

See the top 100 best sparkling wines of South Africa

Want to buy a sparkling wine of South Africa cheap or sell a sparkling wine of South Africa at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a sparkling wine of South Africa

Sparkling wines from the region of South Africa go well with generally quite well with dishes of veal, pork or game (deer, venison) such as recipes of veal head with vinaigrette, stuffed eggplant (with vegetables or mixed) or alice's rabbit.

Organoleptic analysis of sparkling wine of South Africa

On the nose the sparkling wine of the region of South Africa. often reveals types of flavors of non oak, earth or microbio and sometimes also flavors of vegetal, oak or tree fruit.

The best vintages in sparkling wine of South Africa

  • 2020With an average score of 4.30/5
  • 2009With an average score of 4.27/5
  • 2010With an average score of 4.23/5
  • 2006With an average score of 4.20/5
  • 2007With an average score of 4.18/5
  • 2011With an average score of 4.15/5

The most used grape varieties in sparkling wine of South Africa

  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Noir
  • Pinot Meunier
  • Chenin Blanc
  • Shiraz/Syrah
  • Pinotage

The best wineries and winemakers for sparkling wine of South Africa

A wine route planned in the region of South Africa? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best sparkling wine of South Africa.

The word of the wine: Lightning

Large capacity barrel.

Great pink wines of South Africa

See the top 100 best pink wines of South Africa

Want to buy a pink wine of South Africa cheap or sell a pink wine of South Africa at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a pink wine of South Africa

Pink wines from the region of South Africa go well with generally quite well with dishes of game (deer, venison), poultry or veal such as recipes of aiguillette of duck with honey, chicken in sauce or home-made coq au vin.

Organoleptic analysis of pink wine of South Africa

On the nose the pink wine of the region of South Africa. often reveals types of flavors of cream, tree fruit or pomegranate and sometimes also flavors of rhubarb, guava or lychee.

The best vintages in pink wine of South Africa

  • 1985With an average score of 4.40/5
  • 1988With an average score of 4.10/5
  • 2019With an average score of 4.01/5
  • 2020With an average score of 3.94/5
  • 2015With an average score of 3.94/5
  • 2017With an average score of 3.94/5

The most used grape varieties in pink wine of South Africa

  • Pinotage
  • Shiraz/Syrah
  • Cinsault
  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Noir
  • Merlot

The best wineries and winemakers for pink wine of South Africa

A wine route planned in the region of South Africa? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best pink wine of South Africa.

Discover the grape variety: Clairette

Clairette rosé is a grape variety that originated in France (Provence). It produces a variety of grape used for wine making. However, it can also be found on our tables! Note that this grape variety can also be used for the elaboration of eaux de vie. This variety of vine is characterized by medium to large bunches of grapes of medium size. Clairette rosé can be found in several vineyards: South-West, Cognac, Bordeaux, Rhône Valley, Provence & Corsica, Languedoc & Roussillon, Loire Valley, Savoie & Bugey, Beaujolais, Armagnac.

Great sweet wines of South Africa

See the top 100 best sweet wines of South Africa

Want to buy a sweet wine of South Africa cheap or sell a sweet wine of South Africa at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a sweet wine of South Africa

Sweet wines from the region of South Africa go well with generally quite well with dishes of spicy food, sweet desserts or shellfish such as recipes of papillotes of swordfish with curry, grandma's cherry clafoutis or mi sao.

Organoleptic analysis of sweet wine of South Africa

On the nose the sweet wine of the region of South Africa. often reveals types of flavors of butterscotch, dried apricot or oak and sometimes also flavors of vegetal, microbio or earth. In the mouth the sweet wine of the region of South Africa. is a powerful mainly marked by the residual sugar.

The best vintages in sweet wine of South Africa

  • 2002With an average score of 4.60/5
  • 2006With an average score of 4.60/5
  • 1992With an average score of 4.60/5
  • 1995With an average score of 4.60/5
  • 1997With an average score of 4.60/5
  • 1999With an average score of 4.60/5

The most used grape varieties in sweet wine of South Africa

  • Chenin Blanc
  • Sauvignon Blanc
  • Riesling
  • Muscat Blanc
  • Muscat de Frontignan
  • Viognier

The best wineries and winemakers for sweet wine of South Africa

A wine route planned in the region of South Africa? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best sweet wine of South Africa.

The word of the wine: Green

Said of a wine that is too acidic or marked by unpleasant vegetal tastes.

Great natural sweet wines of South Africa

See the top 100 best natural sweet wines of South Africa

Want to buy a natural-sweet wine of South Africa cheap or sell a natural-sweet wine of South Africa at the best price on the market? Find out which ones are popular and which ones to keep in your cellar for a few more years.

Food and wine pairing with a natural-sweet wine of South Africa

Natural sweet wines from the region of South Africa go well with generally quite well with dishes of beef, mature and hard cheese or lamb such as recipes of pork shoulder with mustard, polenta with cheese or rack of lamb with antiboise sauce.

Organoleptic analysis of natural-sweet wine of South Africa

On the nose the natural sweet wine of the region of South Africa. often reveals types of flavors of cream, tree fruit or honey and sometimes also flavors of non oak, earth or microbio.

The best vintages in natural-sweet wine of South Africa

  • 1948With an average score of 4.80/5
  • 2001With an average score of 4.60/5
  • 2002With an average score of 4.50/5
  • 1993With an average score of 4.30/5
  • 2019With an average score of 4.27/5
  • 2006With an average score of 4.24/5

The most used grape varieties in natural-sweet wine of South Africa

  • Tinta Barroca
  • Touriga Nacional
  • Souzao
  • Tinta Roriz
  • Touriga Franca
  • Tinta Francisca

The best wineries and winemakers for natural-sweet wine of South Africa

A wine route planned in the region of South Africa? Here are the wineries to visit and the winemakers to meet during your trip in search of the best natural-sweet wine of South Africa.

Discover the grape variety: Colombard

Colombard is one of the oldest grape varieties in the Charentes. This golden white grape variety is a cross between Chenin and Gouais. The young leaves of colombard are yellow with bronze patches. The adult leaves may be three-lobed or whole, depending on the variety. Its branches are cottony. The bunches of this variety are thick and cylindrical. Its elliptical berries are medium-sized. They change color until they ripen, ranging from greenish white to golden yellow. Colombard is associated with an average budding. It is particularly susceptible to leafhoppers, grape worms, mites, mildew, powdery mildew and gray mold. It is also sensitive to water stress, but is not very sensitive to wind. It ripens late in the second half of the year. There are a dozen approved clones of Colombard, the best known of which are 608, 607 and 606. This variety produces a full-bodied, fine white wine. Aromas of lime, nectarine, boxwood, citrus and exotic fruits are released.

News from the vineyard of South Africa

Vinexpo Paris to host wine and climate change talk

Wine Paris & Vinexpo Paris, running from 14 to 16 February, will host a discussion on climate change as part of series of roundtable ‘wine talks’ at the show. Decanter contributor and international consultant Rupert Joy will moderate the discussion on ‘making wine in a changing climate’, to be held at 2:30pm on Tuesday 15 February, in Hall Six. Members of the panel include: Pau Roca Blaso – director general of the International Organisation of Vine & Wine Jeremy Cukierman MW – dire ...

Champagne glass pyramid sets new world record

At 8.23 metres tall (27ft), a three-sided pyramid made from 54,740 Champagne coupes has officially set a new Guinness World Record for the ‘largest drinking glass pyramid’. A specialist team spent five days between Christmas and New Year delicately constructing the wine glass tower at luxury Dubai resort Atlantis, The Palm, which announced the news. It said the attempt was co-organised by Moët & Chandon, as part of Champagne house’s ‘Effervescence’ event series. Guinness Wo ...

Decanter bookmarks: Things to read, watch and listen to for wine lovers

Looking for inspiration? Here are the best things to read, watch and listen to for wine lovers. We’ve picked out some of the best wine-related books, TV shows and podcasts for your enjoyment! Wine books: Malbec Mon Amour – Laura Catena and Alejandro Vigil Written by fourth-generation vintner Dr Laura Catena and winemaker Alejandro Vigil, this illustrated coffee-table book is a love song to the Malbec grape in Argentina. Combining history and storytelling with viticultural notes – including ...