The Wine Fox
- Sep 3, 2019
- 4 min read

UK journalist Tim Atkin says South Africa is making the greatest wine in history

The Cape is firmly established as “one of the most exciting wine-producing countries on the planet”, thanks to a combination of old vines, young winemaking talent, established names, varied terroirs and a can-do spirit, according to award-winning British journalist and Master of Wine Tim Atkin, who has just released his seventh annual guide to South Africa.

Tim Atkin

In his eagerly anticipated 2019 report, Atkin has awarded 99 points to two wines - 2017 Boschkloof Epilogue Syrah and 2018 Sadie Family ’T Voetpad - and 95 points or more to a further 159 wines. “There was no 100-pointer this year,” he says, “but all of my top-rated wines are exceptional, reflecting the diversity and exceptional quality of the best of the Cape.”

Atkin highlights a number of challenges facing the wine industry, especially climate change and the continued unprofitability of many wine businesses. “The dams may be fuller than they were a year ago after the winter rains, but producers still need to think about what and where they plant in future,” he says. “We are finally seeing the overdue emergence of a fine wine category, but too much wine is sold too cheaply for the long-term health of the industry. Winemakers need to pay more for their grapes and consumers need to recognise that South Africa cannot continue to be the world’s bargain basement.”

This year, Atkin singles out Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc, Cinsault and Syrah for special praise, all of which are established varieties in the Cape, but also highlights the “enormous potential” of Albariño, Agiorgitiko, Assyrtiko, Furmint, Grenache Blanc, Grenache Noir, Malbec, Mourvèdre, Petit Verdot, Roussanne and Verdelho. “Not before time, South Africa is expanding its palette of grapes,” he says.

Atkin's 2019 South Africa Special Report runs to over 281 pages and is the product of three trips to the Cape over the last year, as well as further tastings in the UK, and includes:

Top wines of the year (white, red, rosé, sweet, fortified and sparkling);
Scores for 2,118 wines, with retail prices in South African Rand, ranging from R33 to R4,000;
1,447 tasting notes;
Evocative photos of the winelands and winemakers;
His controversial 2019 classification of the 250 best South African wineries.

Atkin has also named his Overall Wines and Winemakers of the Year:

Winemakers of the Year: Eben Sadie and Paul Jordaan of The Sadie Family Wines

Young Winemaker of the Year: Bernhard Bredell of Scions of Sinai

Grower of the Year: James Downes of Shannon Vineyards

Co-operative of the Year: Windmeul Kelder

Winemaking Legend: Gyles Webb of Thelema Mountain Vineyards

Best Cellar Door Experience: Creation

Overall White Wine of the Year: 2018 Sadie Family ’Te Voetpad, Swartland

Overall Red Wine of the Year: 2017 Boschkloof Epilogue Syrah, Stellenbosch

Overall Rosé of the Year: 2019 Holder Dorper Elmie Rosé, Stellenbosch

Overall Sparkling Wine of the Year: 2014 Graham Beck Cuvée Clive, Western Cape

Overall Sweet Wine of the Year: 2016 Klein Constantia Vin de Constance, Constantia

Overall Fortified Wine of the Year: 2017 De Krans Cape Vintage Reserve, Calitzdorp

Red Wine Discovery of the Year: 2018 AA Badenhorst Ringmuur Cinsault, Swartland

White Wine Discovery of the Year: 2018 Wolf and Woman Chenin Blanc, Swartland

Best Value White of the Year: 2019 Mulderbosch Sauvignon Blanc, Western Cape

Best Value Red of the Year: 2018 Fairview Grenache Noir, Western Cape

Best Value Rosé of the Year: 2019 Bon Courage Lady of the House Pinotage Rosé, Robertson

Best Value Sparkling Wine of the Year: NV KWV Laborie Blanc de Blancs, Western Cape

Best value Sweet Wine of the Year: 2017 Highlands Road Noble Late Harvest, Elgin

Best value Fortified Wine of the Year: 2012 Allesverloren Fine Old Vintage, Swartland

Tim Atkin MW’s 2019 South Africa Special Report is available to download from www.timatkin.com for £20.

Note to editors:

Tim Atkin MW is a multiple-award winning wine taster, photographer and writer with 34 years’ experience. He became a Master of Wine at the first attempt in 2001. His website, timatkin.com won the Louis Roederer Wine Website of the Year Award in 2011 and 2013. In 2014 Atkin won the 2014 Fortnum & Mason Online Drink Writer of the Year Award and in 2015 the Louis Roederer International Feature Writer of the Year Award. In 2018 he was named Louis Roederer Online Communicator of the Year.

Contact Tim via e-mail at tim@timatkin.com. He will be available for interviews in South Africa on 11 and 12 September.

There will be a public tasting of his 95+ point scoring wines in the presence of the men and women who made them, in Cape Town on 13 September. To book tickets at a cost of R500, go to: http://www.winecellar.co.za/tim-atkin-tasting-13-sept-cpt-nv.html.