Muskadel SA Awards 2025 winners reviewed

Results of the 20th annual Muskadel SA Awards sponsored by Vinochem were announced recently and the organisers provided a set of the winning wines for review by Winemag.co.za. Incidentally, red muscadel is currently South Africa’s 25th most planted grape variety at 334 hectares, and white muscadel is 15th with 761 hectares.

Tasting notes and ratings as follows:

95
Nuy White Muscadel 2023
Price: R95
Complex and exotic aromatics of sultana, citrus, melon, flowers, fynbos, bee’s wax and spice. The palate shows impressive depth of fruit, bright acidity providing the necessary counterpoint. Powerful but balanced, thick textured but not excessively so. The spirit addition is well handled, warming and enveloping rather than fiery. Built for the long haul, a benchmark expression. Alc: 16.5%.

94
Badsberg Red Muscadel 2023
Price: R96 per 500ml bottle
Orange, strawberry, fynbos, spice and a hint of caramel on the nose – nuanced and inviting. The palate is rich and round with a slightly oily texture, the acidity well integrated. Flavourful and detailed, generous but equally not short of verve. Alc: 16%.

93
Du Toitskloof Red Muscadel 2020
Price: R110 per 500ml
 The nose is hardly primary although there are notes of cranberry, strawberry, orange, apricot, fynbos, to go with toffee, spice and a whiff of “petrol”. The palate is rich, mellow and smooth textured while stopping short of being unctuous. Full of subtle flavour, the finish gently savoury. Alc: 16%

92
Van Loveren Christina Noble Late Harvest Muscato 2024
Price: R165 per 375ml bottle
Litchi, stone fruit, potpourri, fynbos and spice make for an arresting nose. The palate is no less engaging – dense fruit meets big acidity, the finish savoury. There’s a compelling sweet-and-sour tension throughout, giving the wine real interest. Alc: 10.5%.

91
Bon Courage Red Muscadel 2024
Price: R138
Raisin, strawberry, orange, spice and a hint of reduction on the nose. The palate is deep, rich and sweet – good clarity of fruit, bright acidity and a gently savoury finish. Alc: 16%.

91
Bon Courage White Muscadel 2024
Price: R138
Sultana, citrus, fynbos and wax on the nose. The palate is rich and thick-textured – sweet, soft and comforting. As decadent as it gets. Alc: 15.5%.

90
Clairvaux White Muscadel 2023
Price: R91
Pretty aromatics including floral perfume, pear, white peach and spice on the nose. The palate is relatively light and fresh – clean, focused and not too fiery. A;c: 16%.

89
Du Toitskloof Hanepoot Jerepigo 2021
Price: R110 per 500ml bottle
The nose is starting to show some evolution with notes of honey, peach and wax.  Super-rich and round on the palate – appealing in its lusciousness but perhaps a bit one-dimensional. Alc: 15.5%.

89
Le Grand Chasseur Habata White Muscadel 2024
Price: R95 per 500ml bottle
Primary aromatics of lemon, peach, flowers and spice plus a touch of sultana. The palate is clean and fresh – not super-complex, the finish rather fiery. Alc: 17%.

89
Montagu Red Muscadel 2024
Price: R100
Dark cherry, caramel, earth and spice on the nose while the palate is rich and hearty but lacks some fruit clarity. Sweet with soft acidity. Alc: 16.5%.

89
Van Loveren Red Muscadel 2024
Price: R105
The nose shows nutty, treacly top notes before raisin, orange and spice. The palate is broad and mellow, perhaps slightly lacking in freshness. Alc: 16%.

89
Le Grand Chasseur Habata White Muscadel 2024