Tim James: A quest for wine quality without breaking the bank

I’ve just bought some modest, but hopefully pretty decent, wine for those days or evenings when I’m feeling a bit mean either with myself or others. It’s fine to say that life is too short to drink anything other than very well, but one must also be able to afford such high standards and I will only claim that I won’t drink bad wine. Given the choice, I would rather have water or alcohol-free beer, which is anyway what I try to limit myself to at least one day a week as a gesture towards moderation.

Actually, I’m again prompted to wonder (not for the first time) what wines other professional commentators and judges (and retailers and distributors and sommeliers, I suppose) buy for themselves. If any, of course. And some drink very little and some drink, well, a great deal, so that would affect their purchases, as would the state of their bank balances. I say, “if any”, as there are possibly some not altogether fussy ones who rely entirely on samples given them – and hope they’re given two bottles to taste.

I was a taster for Platter’s up till this year (see here for why I resigned), and that change certainly affected my purchases. For a start, for some three months of the year, previously I had bottles open the whole time for tasting – over two days if they merited that, and also with my supper. So there was not much occasion to broach a bottle of my own for that period, which certainly saved money (and left me thirsting for mature wines). And then, Platter’s tasters are allowed, as a perk, to keep the second bottle submitted. I certainly didn’t want for myself the majority of wines tasted, but did keep back a few dozen – by no means all from the grandiest or priciest ranges, and certainly including some in the “modest but decent” category. Because who wants to drink grandly and/or thoughtfully all the time? (I suppose some do.) The rest I sold at very reasonable prices to a few friends, with the proceeds (usually about R15 000) going to charity. I’ve no idea what other Platter tasters do – some, if they kept a good part of their second bottles, would certainly have enough wine to last them a year. I also don’t know what happens to the second bottle of the wines that make it to the five-star taste-off, for which fresh submissions are solicited. That would certainly be a valuable collection and well worth having.

The Platter’s thing explains why my shelves and wine-fridges are now much emptier than in previous years. Especially the “modest” stuff is in very short supply, and that’s why I thought I needed to do some shopping. And, just in case there are others who would like to know what I decided on and why – well, here you are.

I was looking, basically, for wines that over-delivered in the styles that I like, at not all that much more than R100 per bottle. Generally, therefore, I went for wines I knew. Mostly I wanted some whites, which is fortunate at that price these days. For starters, I got eight local wines, two bottles of each. Incidentally, every single one of them is screwcapped. There were also some foreign wines, about double that price, that I got on a Black Friday offer (I’ll report on some foreign bargains later); and six bottles of KWV Ten Year Old Brandy, on sale at KWV for R299 – unquestionably the best price:quality ratio of this little bout of purchasing.

Mostly whites, then, but there were two reds included, both pinot noirs that are always really good value and really good drinking.  Kruger Sans Chêne used to be called Western Cape until this, 2022, vintage, which I hope will be as delicious. R123 is not much for a nice pinot; from Constantia Wine and Craft in Plumstead, Cape Town. Very similar price (though Woolworths was taking 25% off for any three wines, so a bit cheaper) for De Morgenzon’s DMZ Pinot 2023, and I’m expecting similar deliciousness.

The following all from Constantia Wine and Craft’s excellent selection. Oak Valley Stone and Steel Riesling is, like those pinots, among the best values I know in local wine. This was the 2022 vintage (R113), and I trust it’ll live up to the character implied in its name as usual. Waterford Pecan Stream Chenin Blanc 2024 (R113) I embarrassedly confess I bought because I was looking for Waterkloof. I’m getting old, and wasn’t paying attention; no further explanation. I look forward to this wine, which I haven’t tried for many many years, but it was certainly good value in the old days. Another chenin with a long reputation is Ken Forrester Reserve 2024 – just under R100 from Woolworths. (By the way, the Woolworths wine selection seems to have plummeted since I last looked.)

Then I jumped price a bit for two wines at R142. I greatly enjoy unwooded chardonnay, and have no doubt that the Glenelly Glass Collection 2022 version, will be just right. And I know from tasting older versions of this wine that if I forget about these bottles they’ll only improve for a good few years. But I won’t. I also asked the Constantia manager for a recommendation under R150, and was satisfied when he suggested Usana The Runaway Pinot Gris 2021, which I remember as being both interesting and delightful – though I doubt if it’s such a bargain as the other.

Cheapest of all my purchases was what I picked up at Spar for R80: Wolftrap White. Famously good value it’s always been, and I trust that continues. Undemanding summer evenings beckon.

• Tim James is one of South Africa’s leading wine commentators, contributing to various local and international wine publications. His book Wines of South Africa – Tradition and Revolution appeared in 2013.