Prescient Minority Report 2023: Top 10

By , 11 April 2023

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5

Introduction

This year’s Minority Report convened by Winemag.co.za and sponsored by multinational financial services company Prescient is now out. There were 76 entries (31 white wine and 45 red) 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:

94

Olifantsberg Grenache Blanc 2021
Price: R236
Wine of Origin: Breedekloof
Abv: 13.6%

94

Thor Vintners Lara Semillon 2022
Price: R200
Wine of Origin: Franschhoek
Abv: 13.46%

93

Constantia Uitsig Semillon 2021
Price: R220
Wine of Origin: Constantia
Abv: 14.1%

92

Dornier Semillon 2021
Price: R221
Wine of Origin: Stellenbosch
Abv: 13.7%

92

Mischa Roussanne 2022
Price: R202
Wine of Origin: Groenberg Wellington
Abv: 11.37%

94

Lowerland Tolbos Tannat 2021
Price: R325
Wine of Origin: Prieska
Abv: 12.68%

94

Wildeberg Terroirs Cinsault 2022
Price: R260
Wine of Origin: Wellington
Abv: 13.5%

92

Olifantsberg Grenache Noir 2021
Price: R236
Wine of Origin: Breedekloof
Abv: 13.5%

92

Painted Wolf Lycaon Grenache 2021
Price: R300
Wine of Origin: Wellington
Abv: 13.5%

92

Thor Vintners Gentis The Bishop Petit Verdot 2020
Price: R830
Wine of Origin: Franschhoek
Abv: 15.19%

Olifantsberg, Breedekloof.

About the category

The focus of the Minority Report is on wines from varieties whose respective total plantings do not exceed 5 000ha. South Africa’s eight most widely planted varieties (Chenin Blanc, Sauvignon Blanc, Colombar, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz, Pinotage, Chardonnay, and Merlot in that order) all have plantings of over 5 000ha and together make up 82% of the national vineyard – this is a chance for the more subordinate varieties to shine!

In-depth analysis

To read the report in full, including key findings, tasting notes for the top wines and scores on the 100-point quality scale for all wines entered, download the following: Prescient Minority Report 2023

Shop online

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

Hermanus wine shop Wine Village is offering all of the wines in the Top 10 for sale and can ship all over the world – buy now.

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Comments

5 comment(s)

Please read our Comments Policy here.

    Donald Griffiths | 12 April 2023

    Only 4 Pinots entered? Mon dieu.

    Angela Lloyd | 11 April 2023

    Christian, while I’m delighted to see semillon performing so well, my enthusiasm was tempered when I discovered that every one of the 77 wines entered scored between 94 and 85 – a whole 9 points separating all those wines? It’s difficult to reconcile the 100-point system when you use such a narrow band.
    If you followed your usual method, these are consensus scores but what do they do to help the consumer determine the difference between really good and less than ordinary? Isn’t it about time you revealed individual scores, which would provide a clearer picture of the results.

      Timothy Conn | 12 April 2023

      In the latest Atkin report, 91% scored between 85 and 94 points. Is it really surprising then that this report’s scores fall within that range?
      If there were no wines worthy of 95+ points and nothing below 85, what are the tasting panel meant to do?

        Angela Lloyd | 13 April 2023

        Timothy, that’s one reason I believe it’s important to know the judges’ individual scores. If each one is confident of his/her score, there should be no reason not to reveal it. One would hope Winemag subscribers would appreciate the extra detail rather than use it for ‘petty inquiry’. As Tim Atkin’s scores are his alone, there is no other comparison. If it still pertains, The World of fine Wine tastings do list each taster’s scores and notes. As with Platter, it comes down to following a taster whose taste echoes those of the reader.

      Christian Eedes | 12 April 2023

      Hi Angela, You use the term “consensus scores” whereas I prefer to view panel tastings as “collegial” – the score given to each wine involving shared responsibility. By way of anecdote, I heard Professor Gabriel Lepousez, who holds a PhD in Neuroscience from the Sorbonne University and is an expert on sensory perception and brain plasticity, speak earlier in the year – molecular biology is definitely not one of my fields of expertise, but he did make the point that olfactory and taste perceptors are different across the population and therefore, in an important sense, bigger panels are better than single opinions as the resulting judgement overcomes any weakness or blindspot that the indvidual taster might have.

      I would further respond by saying that the 100-point system as used by me in my personal capacity and by the Winemag.co.za panel is emphatically not linear in nature but rather a way of expressing a qualitative judgement that involves a very wide range of criteria in a compact way – it is therefore far easier to score 88 as opposed to 87 (and there is conversely less at stake) than it is to score 95 over 94. Scores of 95 – 100 are generally given way too easily.

      Out of respect to the panel, we will not be revealing individual scores as I want each judge always to feel confident about maintaining his or her position without being subjected to sometimes petty inquiry. I’m proud of both our panels’ rigour and conservatism when it comes to scoring which I believe provides the consumer with exceptionally trustworthy outcomes.

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