Prescient Cabernet Sauvignon Report 2022: Top 10

By , 11 November 2022

Introduction

This year’s Cabernet Sauvignon Report sponsored by multinational financial services company Prescient is now out. There were 64 entries received from 51 producers and these were tasted blind (labels out of sight) by a three-person panel, scoring done according to the 100-point quality scale.

Top 10

The 10 best wines overall are as follows:

96

Stellenbosch 1679 2019 (Koelenhof)
Price: R375
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 13.63%

Winner of a 2B FermControl kit worth R11 000.

95

Cavalli 2019
Price: R250
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 14.12%

95

Neil Ellis Jonkershoek Valley 2018
Price: R520
Wine of Origin: Jonkershoek Valley
Abv: 14.5%

95

Vondeling Barrel Selection 2019
Price: R175
Wine of Origin: Voor-Paardeberg
Abv: 13.52%

94

Benguela Cove Estate 2019
Price: R295
Wine of Origin: Walker Bay
Abv: R295

94

Delaire Graff Reserve 2019
Price: R875
Wine of Origin: Banghoek
Abv: 14.5%

94

Ernie Els Major Series 2018
Price: R250
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 14.38%

94

Nederburg The Manor House 2019
Price: R220
Wine of Origin: Western Cape
Abv: 14.69%

93

Nederburg Private Bin Two Centuries 2018
Price: R395
Wine of Origin: Coastal Region
Abv: 14.67%

93

Zorgvliet 2019
Price: R170
Wine of Origin: Banghoek
Abv: 14.19%

Koelenhof, Stellenbosch.

About the category

The traditional home of Cabernet Sauvignon is Bordeaux, particularly the so-called Left Bank vineyards situated west of the Gironde river and incorporating such famous appelations as Margaux, Pauillac, St-Estèphe, St-Julien and, further south, Graves.

Because Cabernet Sauvignon can be difficult to ripen fully, making for lean and astringent wines, it is often blended with plumper Merlot. However, the best wines from this variety display exceptionally deep colour, the characteristic aroma of blackcurrants (cassis) and a high level of tannins. In addition, they have an almost unequalled capacity to age in bottle.

In South Africa, Cabernet Sauvignon is the fourth most widely planted variety overall, making up 10.8% of the total area under vineyard at the end of 2020.

What does top Cabernet Sauvignon go for?

The average price of the 40 wines to rate 90-plus is R303 a bottle and of the Top 10 is R353.

Best buy

Offering the best quality relative to price is Maastricht 2020 with a rating of 91 and selling for R130 a bottle.

Red and black berries, fresh herbs and a touch of toasty oak on the nose. Juicy and fresh on the palate with crunchy tannins.

In-depth analysis

To read the report in full, including key findings, tasting notes for the top wines, buyers guide and scores on the 100-point quality scale for all wines entered, download the following: Prescient Cabernet Sauvignon Report 2022

Shop online

Johannesburg boutique wine retailer Dry Dock Liquor is offering some of the wines in the Top 10 for sale and can deliver nationwide – buy now.

Online retailer Wine-of-the-Month Club is offering a six-bottle mixed case selected from the Top 10 – buy now.

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