In early May 2026, I went to Tim Atkin’s The Best of South Africa tasting, a curated selection of producers and wines from his 2025 South Africa Special Report. It brought together some of the best wines from the Cape, most of them presented by the people who made them.
In the introduction to the tasting notes, Tim highlighted the incredible diversity of South African wine. The Cape can produce almost any style to an enviably high standard.
This year’s tasting featured 346 wines from 81 producers. This time, I decided to focus only on wines priced at £25 and under, the more affordable end of the range. That still amounted to 87 wines, a sizeable 25% of the entire tasting, showing just how affordable South African wines remain, even among the country’s very best producers.
These were the wines I personally enjoyed the most:
Doolhof XCLUSIV 2025 13.0% £25
Made from 52% Grenache Noir and 48% Syrah, this Provence-style rosé combines bright freshness with a nicely rounded medium mouthfeel. Elegant and balanced throughout, it was awarded 94 points by Tim Atkin, the highest score he has given to a South African rosé. Available from retailers and hospitality suppliers through Ellis Wines.
Doolhof Malbec Merlot 2024 13.5% £18
A blend of 58% Malbec and 42% Merlot, giving deep cherry fruit, rich flavour and a generous mouthfeel. Gentle oak notes sit alongside ripe cherry character. Full bodied, approachable and excellent value for the price. Available from retailers and hospitality suppliers through Ellis Wines.
Boplaas Cape Tawny NV 18.0% £22
Produced from 90% Tinta Barocca and 10% Touriga Nacional using Douro-inspired techniques brought to South Africa by Boplaas. Lower in alcohol and less sweet than many Portuguese Ports, it layers butterscotch, honey, roasted nuts and warming spice with impressive richness. Available from The Wine Society.
Benguela Cove Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2024 13.5% £20
Made entirely from Sauvignon Blanc, this wine sits stylistically between New Zealand and French expressions of the variety. Tropical fruit comes through clearly, yet the wine remains fresh and balanced without excessive acidity or grassy notes. Distributed by Benguela Cove.
Ghost Corner Bowline 2024 13.5% £25
This blend of 62% Sauvignon Blanc and 38% Semillon combines expressive New Zealand-style Sauvignon Blanc aromas with the richer texture of Semillon. Tropical flavours are supported by extended lees contact, giving the wine a round mouthfeel and a full lingering finish. Distributed by VINVM.
Paul Clüver Estate Chardonnay 2024 13.5% £8
Made from 100% Chardonnay, this wine offers citrus and stone fruit flavours with struck flint and subtle oak complexity. Medium lemon in colour, it is dry and balanced, restrained oak and an elegant medium body. The mineral finish is long and refined. Distributed by Fells.
Ernie Els Major Series Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 13.5% £24
Produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon, bringing classic cassis leaf, cherry and leather aromas alongside black cherry and plum flavours. Softer tannins than usual for this vintage make the wine more approachable while still retaining structure and depth. Gold medal winner at the Global Wine Masters. Imported by Seckford Agencies and available from Frontier Fine Wines and The Savanna.
Lemberg Spencer 2021 13.7% £19
Made from 100% Pinotage. Deep ruby-purple in colour with slight browning at the rim. Aromas of plum, blackberry, sweet spice and savoury hoisin notes lead into rich dark fruit flavours with a spicy edge. Dry and medium to full-bodied, with medium to medium-high tannins that remain balanced. The finish is savoury and medium to long. Available from Frontier Fine Wines, The Savanna and The Wine Reserve.
Vergelegen Reserve Merlot 2023 14.5% £20
This 100% Merlot delivers deeper dark plum and blackcurrant flavours than many examples of the variety. Rich and rounded, with a fuller mouthfeel and longer finish than is expected for Merlot. Distributed by Frontier Fine Wines and The Savanna.
Kanonkop Kadette Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 14.0% £21
Produced entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon, giving deep colour, subtle oak character and a very full-bodied structure. Medium tannins support the concentrated fruit, while the finish is long and powerful without becoming heavy. Available from Frontier Fine Wines, The Savanna and Mumbles Fine Wines.
Steenberg Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc NV 12.1% £18
Made from 100% Sauvignon Blanc and bottle fermented to create a distinctive sparkling style. Slightly leesy biscuit notes combine with tropical aromas, while a touch of sweetness balances the refreshing acidity and fuller flavour profile. Distributed by Frontier Fine Wines.
Steenberg Merlot 2022 14.7% £24
This 100% Merlot has intense fruit character moving from bright red fruit into richer black fruit notes. Medium tannins provide structure while allowing the fruit to remain expressive and balanced. Available from Frontier Fine Wines.
Lismore Chenin Blanc 2024 13.0% £22
Produced from 100% Chenin Blanc, showing ripe apple, peach and honey aromas with subtle toast and vanilla notes from oak ageing. Dry and medium-bodied, it combines creamy texture with concentrated ripe fruit and remarkable honeyed length on the finish. Distributed by Hallgarten & Novum.
Tokara Cabernet Sauvignon 2023 14.0% £23
Made entirely from Cabernet Sauvignon, delivering aromas of blackcurrant, plum, cedar and vanilla over a deep ruby colour. Full-bodied with dark fruit intensity and medium tannins, finishing long with savoury cedar complexity. Available from Alexander Wines, Alexander Hadleigh Wines, Gorey Wine, Latitude Wines, Mill Hill Wines and Old Butchers Wine Cellar.
Klein Constantia Cap Classique Blanc de Blancs 2021 11.5% £22
Produced from 100% Chardonnay and aged for 20 months on lees with zero dosage (added sugar). Intense brioche aromas lead into apple and brioche flavours with exceptional length and refinement. Brilliant value in a style reminiscent of top Champagne. Available from Fenwick, Champagne Direct, The Champagne Company and Drinks Direct.
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chenin Blanc 2024 13.5% £18
Made from 100% Chenin Blanc sourced from old vines and matured in older barrels. Smoky aromas add complexity while the fruit remains intense, concentrated and focused. Available from Flagship Wines, VINVM and Cheers Wine Merchants.
Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 14.5% £22
Produced from 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with woody depth, concentrated fruit and medium tannins. Oak influence adds richness while maintaining balance and structure. Available from Flagship Wines and VINVM.
La Brune Chardonnay 2025 13.5% £25
This 100% Chardonnay is made in a French-inspired style by a winemaker trained in France. Measured oak use keeps the wine mineral, fresh and elegant, with a lean profile reminiscent of Chablis. Available from Davy’s.
Meerlust Estate Red 2021 14.1% £19
A blend of 36% Cabernet Franc, 25% Merlot, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon and 14% Petit Verdot. Soft, approachable and medium-bodied with vibrant red fruit character. Available from Majestic, Frontier Fine Wines and The Wine Society.
Simonsig Kaapse Vonkel Brut Rosé Cap Classique 2023 12.0% £20
Made from 80% Pinot Noir, 18% Pinotage and 2% Pinot Meunier, then aged for 15 months on lees. Fresh and expressive with strong autolytic complexity, impressive length and a slight sweetness balancing the acidity beautifully. Excellent value. Available from Portman Wine.
Simonsig Tiara 2020 13.5% £25
This Bordeaux-style blend combines 77% Cabernet Sauvignon, 14% Merlot, 6% Malbec, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Smooth and polished with oak notes and low to medium tannins. Available from Portman Wine.
Whalehaven Classic Series – Coastal Sauvignon Blanc 2025 13.5% £13
Made entirely from Sauvignon Blanc in a style leaning more towards New Zealand than South Africa. Aromas of green apple and grapefruit lead into pear, pineapple, gooseberry and guava flavours with a touch of salinity. Dry, lively and refreshing. Distributed by Amathus Drinks.
Brunia Wines Extended Barrel Aged Sauvignon Blanc 2019 13.0% £25
Produced using 100% Sauvignon Blanc and given extended barrel ageing for a completely different expression of the variety. Intense smoky tropical aromas lead into rich oak-influenced tropical fruit flavours with a full mouthfeel and exceptional length. Distinctive and memorable. Available from Les Caves de Pyrène.
I ended up being surprised by how many of the 87 wines I picked out and enjoyed. The unexpected star of the show for me was the Klein Constantia Cap Classique Blanc de Blancs 2021. It could be Champagne. While the RRP is around £22, a quick search showed it available for as little as £18.50 from Divine Fine Wines.
In some ways, it was actually quite difficult sticking only to the less expensive wines. Once you were at a producer’s stand, they naturally wanted you to taste the whole range. I got one or two slightly strange looks when I only tried their least expensive wine, but most understood once I explained what I was doing. A few producers, like Boplaas, were particularly persistent and insisted I taste more widely and, to be fair, I was glad I did, as some of their higher-end wines were excellent.
Tim is currently researching his 2026 report, which will be launched in Cape Town on 31 August 2026. Visit timatkin.com to explore Tim’s reports.
