Is South Africa producing VALUE Wines?

We all want to drink great wine, right? But we all don't have great wine money. I mean, most of us at least. I'm pretty sure Johnny Depp sometimes watches my videos sipping on his mega pint of Petrus, but that's kind of beside the point. Fortunately, there's still a lot of great wine available at fairly affordable prices. You just have to look for it. And today we're looking at South Africa. Let's go. South Africa is the eighth largest wine producing country by volume, and it is experiencing quite a lot of success since the 1990s after decades of isolation and inconsistent wine quality. The vineyard area has declined in recent years to 86,500 hectares of vineyards. So it's getting smaller, but the quality is getting better and better. Even though South Africa is part of the new world, it actually has quite a lot of winemaking history. The first production started in 1659 under Jan van Riebeck, and the most famous estate of the era was founded in 1685. It's called Constantia, and the sweet wine from Constantia became one of the most famous wines in the world in the 18th and 19th century. South Africa has a really interesting terroir for the production of high quality wine. The Benguela current cools down the climate around the Cape. On top of that, you also have higher elevation vineyard size, and you have very diverse soil types, allowing for the production of really different, really exciting, really distinctive wines. In the coastal vineyards, you can produce really fresh, lively, and acid-driven wines, whereas in the areas further inland, you can produce more concentrated, rich, and alcoholic wines. So there's something there for everyone. On top of that, South African wines tend to be fairly good values. You don't really find a lot of wines that are very expensive, and you find a lot of great wines in the 10 to 50 euro range, and that's what we're going to explore in this video. Let's start off with the 2023 Buiten Verwachting Maximus from the Constantia area. This is 100% Sauvignon Blanc, and it's a limited release. It says so on the label. The estate was once owned by Ulrich Klöte, who was the brother of Hendrik Klöte, who was the owner of the famous Constantia wine estate, the one that I mentioned earlier, that produced that really successful sweet wine. In 1981, the estate was bought by the German Müller family, and it is now run by a winemaker who studied in Geisenheim, the university where I studied as well. Buiten Verwachting actually means beyond expectations. I didn't know that, but I just read it on the back label, and this is a single vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, but we don't really know which vineyard it is from, and it's fermented in oak. So we're getting a Sauvignon Blanc, which is a pretty successful grape variety at the moment, from a famous wine estate that is also made in a more expensive way. I mean, fermenting stuff in barrels is more costly than using stainless steel, so this already sounds like a pretty good value, but it really depends on the quality of the wine. The 2021 vintage was actually rated five stars by platters, but I don't really know whether that's still relevant. I mean, it's kind of a South African guide. I don't know how reliable their scores are. It's more important to find out yourself. So the color is definitely golden, quite intense. This is consistent with the use of oak. White wines tend to turn more golden when you use some barrels. All right, this smells pretty good. Man, it's nice to be back. I mean, I haven't done too many videos this year, but I really enjoy this, and yeah, this is a good start to the video. So it smells of oranges, pineapple. There's quite a lot of citrus fruit. There's also some toasted, roasted flavor coming through, so it's quite a complex wine. I do think this is pretty interesting. On the palate, it's rich and concentrated. Quite a lot of body. I mean, this is 14 and a half percent of alcohol, but the acidity is really refreshing. I mean, my mouth is salting to water because, yeah, this is just, it finishes lively and fresh. You know, this is a dangerous wine. I mean, it doesn't taste like a lot of alcohol, but I mean, you will definitely feel the alcohol after a bottle or after a few glasses in the sun right now. So, but it's delicious. I mean, this is really, really good. I'm going to rate this 90, 94 points. This is, let's see, let's see if I still got it. So close. Next up, we have the 2023 Dry Buck Kinkle from Elgin in South Africa. I think it's Elgin, right? Let me know down below if I'm mispronouncing it, but this is a Chardonnay and yeah, hopefully it's good. Dry Buck wines was founded by friends that met at Stellenbosch University and Kinkle apparently means a twist in Afrikaans, guessing like a twist in a story. And this is only the second vintage of this Chardonnay. On the back label, it says 100% Chardonnay, whole bunch pressed, fermented in 22% new French oak, and aged on lease for 11 months. Only eight barrels were made, unfined and unfiltered. Harmless sediment may occur. Are people still worried about sediment? I mean, usually having sediment in wine is not a problem. Oftentimes it actually is a sign that the wine was not manipulated too much. Sometimes you see little crystals swimming around in a bottle and those tend to be tartrates. So the crystals of tartaric acid, which is the acidity that is naturally in wine. So yeah, in most cases, sediments are not a problem. I mean, you don't necessarily want them in your glass, but it's not a problem that there are some left in the bottle. All right, this is actually a little lighter in color, even though it was also aged in barrel, but yeah, it's more of a pale golden color. On the nose, this is actually quite reduced. There's not a lot of flavor. It smells a little waxy and there's some lemon zest flavor and a little bit of smoke. Quite elegant. I mean, this definitely doesn't jump into your face and doesn't gnaw your nose off. It's, it's, it's quite. On the palate, this is super fresh and vibrant. A little less body compared to the previous wine. It's at 13.7% of alcohol. The acidity is there. It's not as zingy, but it has some freshness and then there's also quite a lot of texture, a lot of grippiness on the palate. So this is pretty complete if you like Chardonnays that are, yeah, more on the quiet side and not, not so, so in your face. This is a wine that needs a little bit of time. I would craft it if I was in a rush, but you can also just let it develop in the glass. I mean, yeah, that's what nice glasses like this one are made for. Yeah, it just, it does already open up a little bit, like orange zest, a little bit of tangerine flavor. So there's more, there's more coming. This is a really nice Chardonnay. It's serious, but not too serious. And at 34 euros, it's a pretty good value too. So I'm going to rate this 91 points. Next up, we have the 2024 Saki Muton Family Wines Revenge of the Crayfish. And it actually says on the label, get your crayon for those with a taste for the unusual. And I do have a taste for the unusual. Surprisingly, I mean, if you look at the bottle, I wouldn't necessarily say this is the most expensive wine in the tasting so far, but it is, it costs 50 euros. So it's right, kind of at the high end of what I would describe as value. But if this is really great, then it's worth it. So let's pop that cork. Saki Muton Wines was founded in the West Coast town of Varendal. And this is actually, what does it say? Wine of origin Kirkenap. So I don't think I've ever tasted a wine of origin from Kirkenap, but there's a first time for everything. This wine is 100% Chenin Blanc, also known as Steen in South Africa. And it was aged on the lease for 12 months in 500 liter barrels. The wine was bottled, unfined and unfiltered. It received five stars on platter and 94 points from Falstaff. But yeah, I mean, Falstaff scores, I don't always understand them. But so let's find out whether it's actually that good. Look at that golden color. That's very golden. I mean, this is like morning urine color. But I hope it doesn't taste like that. No, it doesn't smell like that. I mean, there's quite a lot of oakiness there. There's definitely some caramel, some smoke, a little bit of roasted notes. There's also a little bit of lemon and some apple flavors coming through. On the palate, this is actually quite interesting. I mean, it has a lot of grip, quite a lot of acidity and freshness, even though it underwent malolactic fermentation apparently, but there's still some freshness there. Good mouthfeel, quite creamy on the palate, but not, I mean, definitely has some tension there. There's some bitterness there, a little bit of grip. I think it's actually quite nice. I mean, I would like the oak to be less pronounced and I'd like a little bit more kind of edginess on the palate. But overall, this is enjoyable. Yeah, this is definitely interesting. I'm going to rate it 90 points. I think there's quite a lot of stuff going on. Not everything is in the right place. I do think there should be more fruit there on the nose. And I think on the palate, there's a little bit of acidity missing that would carry this wine a little bit more. So yeah, 90 points is a fair score. But considering that it is the most expensive white wine in this tasting, I would actually say it's not necessarily great value. I mean, 50 euros for a 90 point wine, that's not value. Tasting those wines from South Africa is a lot of fun because I can further my knowledge of the wines of South Africa. That's how you get better at wine. You get better by learning and learning. And if you want to learn more about wine, then you should definitely check out Seller Class. Seller Class is my e-learning platform where I can teach you everything you need to know in educational but entertaining video courses. So it's kind of like these videos here on YouTube, but in a structured way where you can get a handout and where you get a certificate at the end of the course. In the courses, we dive into many different topics from grape varieties to wine growing regions. We also talk about food and wine matching. And there's a lot of entertaining quizzes spread out across the courses where you can test your knowledge in order to make sure that you actually listened to me. So if you want to learn more about wine, then check out Seller Class by clicking on the link in the description. But now let's move on to the wines. So let's move on to the reds. I got my Spiegelhaut Definition Bordeaux glass out and I'm tasting the 2024 Wolf and Woman Pinotage from Swartland. Pinotage is not necessarily my favorite grape variety, but maybe this one is really amazing. The wine retails for 25 euros and the winery was founded as a side project by Jolande Fouché, who was working at another winery in the beginning and then, yeah, got discovered, got more and more successful, and now she's focusing on this one. The region of Swartland was under the radar for a long time, but now there are more and more really exciting wineries here. She is farming some dry farmed old vine Pinotage in Swartland to produce this wine. And yeah, I do like old vines, so this might give this Pinotage an extra, you know. So she's using a lighter touch on this Pinotage. It's 15% whole bunch, the rest is whole berries. She does three days of cold maceration and seven days of maceration on the skins. And let's taste it. Yeah, this definitely shows quite a lot of cherry fruit flavor, a little bit of pepperiness, which is quite typical for Pinotage. There's also a little bit of blackberries, some blueberry flavors. So, yeah, it's really fruit-driven, more than kind of spicy or oaky. There's also a little bit of mintiness on the nose. And on the palate, it's really grippy and fresh. The acidity is quite pronounced, and it has a nice length, definitely. But it's also, yeah, it's a little harsh, maybe. The tannins are a little rougher. The wine received 95 points by But I just find it a little rough. I mean, this might be in the character of Pinotage, and I'm not a massive fan of Pinotage. But yeah, I find it a little difficult. I do like the nose with its beautiful fruit flavors and this peppery, minty kind of dimension. But on the palate, it's just a little, yeah, a little harsh for my taste. So I'm going to rate this 91 points, which is still a pretty good score, but, yeah, not quite as high as the scores the other guys gave this wine. But that said, if you're really into Pinotage, this might be exactly what you're looking for. And it's just 25 euros, and it received scores by really great critics. So maybe this is still really for you. Next up, we have the 2024 Royal Wines AVA Syrah, which is also from Swaziland, the same region as the previous one. I think Syrah does really well in South Africa. I mean, Syrah does really well in many places, but it doesn't really get the attention it deserves. I do love Syrah, but yeah, in South Africa, there are some really amazing Syrahs being produced right now, and it's not necessarily on the radar of everyone. People still associate South Africa with Pinotage and Cabernet Blancs, but yeah, I mean, Syrah can do magic over there. The grapes grow on shisty soil. They are fermented whole bunch. The wine only has 12.5% of alcohol, and it received some serious scores, 94 points by Robert Parker and 94 points by Veles. The wine is aged in old oak, so they don't really want any oaky influences there. And it is pretty dark, very dark, like dark ruby with a black core. I love the smell of whole bunch Syrah. This combination of cherries, black olives, kind of spice, pepperiness. There's so much stuff going on there. It also smells of violets, and all of those flavors are just such a wild combo, but they work. They work together. You can put cherries, violets, pepper, and black olive tapenade into one bucket and enjoy it, I guess, at least the smell of it. On the palate, there's definitely quite a bit of tannic grip. I mean, if you do 100% whole bunch, you tend to get a little bit of grippy, slightly bitter flavors introduced in the wine as well, but there's great balance there. It is low in alcohol, so there's also good freshness. It's not heavy on the palate, but it definitely has this grippy texture. But that nose, I mean, so good. So I'm going to rate this 93 points. I think it has a delicious, delicious nose, but on the palate, it's a little edgy, and there's also definitely some bitterness there. If you pair this with the right food, like lamb, for example, lamb chops kind of fried on the barbecue, that should be a perfect match. And at 28 euros, this is a pretty good value wine. So the last one is the 2023 Beaumont Raoul 56 Barrels from Bod River. Bod River is located on the Western Cape in the southwest of South Africa, and I don't think I've ever had a wine from there. So this is my first. Beaumont Family Wines is a family business, and they apparently have the oldest wine cellar of the region, founded in the 1700s by the East India Trading Company. This one is a blend of Syrah, Mouvertre, and Grenache with some Cabernet Franc and Malbec. They do a couple of days of cold soak in concrete tanks, and they leave 30% of whole branches in there. After fermentation, the wine is aged for 14 months in French oak and concrete tanks. The wine received 92 points by Robert Parker and 91 points by Suckling. That's pretty rare that Suckling rates a wine lower than Parker, but anyways, it retails for 22 euros, so this could be a really nice value wine. So the wine is lighter in color, ruby at the core, but not quite as dark as the previous wine. It has a beautiful nose. I mean, there's some herbaceous notes there, and there's some ripe cherries and strawberry flavors coming through. A little bit of smoke, but not too much, and yeah, it's quite pretty. On the palate, this is juicy and round. The tannins are fine, but there's some grip there as well, and there's great acidity to balance off the wine. I mean, there's some grape varieties in the mix that can produce pretty high octane wine, but this is 13%, so fairly low, and yeah, it has a nice long finish. So this is good. This is a wine with lots of character, and it's quite delicious. I think you could even serve it a little bit chilled, and I think most people will enjoy this. So at this price point especially, it's a nice wine for a dinner party, and yeah, 22 euros, you can't really go wrong here. So I'm going to rate this 91 points. This was a lot of fun. South Africa clearly produces wines with a lot of character, and they can also really produce great value wines. There were some examples here, some where I was not so sure. My favorite wines were the Buitenverwachting Sauvignon. I mean, definitely great stuff at that price point, and the Rahl Syrah is also something for Syrah heads. I mean, this is kind of, yeah, they've turned up the volume on this wine, even though it's not high in alcohol, but it's high in flavor, and also high in tannic tension, but a great wine. So I mean, I had a lot of fun with this, and I think I would have a lot more fun with something nice to eat alongside it. So yeah. So thank you for watching. I hope you enjoyed this video. If you did, then please like down here, subscribe to my channel if you haven't done so already. My question of the day is, what is your favorite South African value wine? Let me know down below, but whatever you do, stay thirsty.