South Africa is producing exceptional wines that rival the best in the world, says Vino Gusto’s Jake Bennett-Day. The wines of the Cape aren’t just good value anymore - they're good

You can tell a lot about a country by its wines. In South Africa’s case, imbibe a place of mind-boggling beauty, indomitable spirit, and winemakers with a quiet, steely determination to be the best in the world. The wines of the Cape aren’t just good value anymore - they’re good. Full stop.

My esteemed colleague and our resident South African, John Khayser, has known this for years. Customers of Vino Towers will know of our bias towards the wines of the Western Cape. In fact, enquire with John about white Burgundy and you may only get a straight answer once you have a received a rundown of the Cape’s alternatives, a personal invititation to an upcoming “Saffa Session” and a fistful of artisan biltong. Such is his undying spirit towards the wines of his motherland. . .

I have found that in the shop, customers have one of two immediate reactions towards South African wines: a) “Absolutely, yes please!”, on the understanding that SA wines massively overdeliver on value and quality. Or b) “How dare you try and poison me. . .”, I imagine with the outdated expectation of overproduction and low-cost, low-quality plonk.

And it is true that the renaissance of the post-apartheid wine business wasn’t immediately obvious from afar. The industry was in a mess: years of political, financial and even geographical isolation had taken its toll. The reputation remained that South African wines were produced badly, and cheaply. But today, there is an army of crusaders from across the Cape, all fighting to flip that expectation. And they have many arrows in their quiver with which to fire.

Let’s talk about value first. Because it’s what first draws many wine lovers to South African bottles in the first place. In blind tastings, Cape Chenin Blancs go toe-to-toe with top-tier Loire. Their Syrah’s have a cool elegance that calls to mind the Northern Rhône - except with a touch more sunshine and less zeroes on the price tag. And their Cabernet blends? I’ve tasted £20 bottles from Stellenbosch that make expensive Claret feel a bit. . . flabby.

But value is only half the story. What’s happening now in South Africa is a quiet revolution in quality, driven by a generation of pioneering winemakers with the freedom to experiment, unbound by tradition in the best possible way. There’s no outdated appellation laws, dictating what can be planted and blended (or not). This freedom yields a crop of talented producers making modern, fine wines that rival the best in the world.

Take Eben Sadie, whose wines have become the stuff of legend. His Columella red and Palladius white are touchstones for balance, restraint and textural beauty. Or Chris and Andrea Mullineux in Swartland, who have elevated the region into one of the most exciting terroirs on the planet. These aren’t wines that are “good for South Africa”. They’re good, full stop.

To my mind, Chenin Blanc remains the country’s calling card. South Africa has more Chenin planted than the rest of the world combined, despite its spiritual home being the Loire Valley, France. But this isn’t the thin, neutral, fruit-salad Chenin of old. Winemakers are coaxing texture, minerality, and startling complexity from vines that date back to the ’60s and ’70s. The best examples - like those from Alheit Vineyards - can rival fine Burgundy for their grace, class and longevity.

Meanwhile, in cooler regions like Elgin and Hemel-en-Aarde, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay are finding their natural home. These wines have the precision and poise of top-flight Côte de Beaune, but with a signature all their own. There’s a salt-kissed clarity to these wines from the dramatic ocean influence where the South Atlantic and Indian Ocean collide. And behind the ripe, new world fruit character, there is a confident lightness of touch that speaks to a modern winemaking culture, hitting its stride.

To make these comparisons to Burgundy without spinning back to the value proposition of these wines is to do them a disservice. Where Burgundy requires a hefty admission fee (even at the entry level), South African wines remain rooted in reality. You can pick up something truly exceptional for £15-£25. Spend £40, and you’re into world class territory.

Jake Bennett-Day is co-owner and director of Vino Gusto wine shop, 27 Hatter Street, Bury Saint Edmunds IP33 1NE

Tel: 01284 771831

See vinogusto.co.uk