For his eight report, Atkin tasted 1381 South African wines, rating those wines scoring between 90 and 94 to be outstanding and with superior character and style on his 100-point scale.
He praised the South African wine industry saying that the country “is making the best wines in its history.”
“Over the decade I’ve been writing these reports, it has been a delight to see the general improvements in quality and the tentative emergence of a South African fine wine sector, with bottles that are discussed, cellared, coveted, shared and sold at auction. Rather than just a few individuals, what we have now is a constellation shining bright above us in the firmament, made up of more than 100 winemaking stars.”
The Durbanville Hills wines taking top honours along with Atkin’s comments are:
Collectors Reserve The Cableway Chardonnay 2019 – 92
“Refreshingly low in alcohol and combining tank and barrel-fermented portions (30% new), this is aromatic, floral and appealing with some vanilla and nutmeg spice, pear and citrus fruit and a persistent, well-balanced finish. Enjoy 2021-24.”
Collectors Reserve The Cape Garden Chenin Blanc 2019 – 93
“Part of an impressive line-up under the Collectors Reserve label, this intense Durbanville Chenin Blanc has some subtle reduction, toasty 90% new wood, leesy complexity, a drizzle of honey and a core of tangy, stony, appley acidity. Very tasty indeed. Enjoy 2021-25.”
Collectors Reserve The Cape Mist Sauvignon Blanc 2018 – 91
“It's worth trading up from the basic Durbanville Hills Sauvignon Blanc to this more concentrated expression of the grape from Martin Moore. Zesty and bright, with lovely lemongrass and gooseberry fruit and a sprightly, appealingly dry finish. Enjoy 2020-23”
Collectors Reserve The Castle of Good Hope Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 – 90
“There's no mistaking the grape variety here - in fact, it would be a gift in a blind tasting exam - as this varietal Cabernet Sauvignon is as pure and textbook as they come. Leafy, cassis and mint flavours combine with new and one-year-old wood to stylish effect. Enjoy 2021-25.”
Collectors Reserve The Promenade Pinotage – 92
“Martin Moore isn’t known as a Pinotage producer - he's a Sauvignon Blanc man - but this is a superb expression of South Africa's near native variety. Polished, smooth and textured, with some coconutty oak and layers of raspberry, bramble and wild strawberry fruit. Enjoy 2021-25.”
The Tangram White 2018 – 90
“Tangram combines Sauvignon Blanc with 24% Semillon in a top-of-the-range (at least in terms of price) Bordeaux-style white blend. Barrel fermented in 60% new wood, it's tight, sappy and refreshing, with chiselled acidity, some gunflint reduction and a sheen of wood spice. Needs more time in bottle. Enjoy 2021-25.”
The Collectors Reserve range is unlike anything Durbanville Hills has ever produced. Inspired by Cape Town and the radiant energy and creativity of her people, Durbanville Hills commissioned Capetonian artist Theo Vorster to pair each wine with a prominent Cape Town landmark, most of which are visible from the winery. Theo is known for creating unique pieces of art in his hand-printed and hand-coloured linocuts, transporting the viewer into an energised, playful dimension. With each wine and its linked landmark comes a distinctive story told on the back of the bottle.
The flagship The Tangram was launched in a White and Red blend to showcase the creativity and exceptional skill of the winemaking team. The Tangram is a Chinese geometrical puzzle consisting of five triangles, a square and a rhomboid, which can be arranged to make various forms and pictures to tell a story. To master the Tangram, one has to look at the whole puzzle to understand and form the myriad of images to be shaped. The Durbanville Hills The Tangram is skillfully crafted from the following seven elements; our three wine makers, earth, wind, fire & water.
Purchase The Collectors Reserve range and The Tangram from www.durbanvillehills.co.za, www.vinoteque.co.z and fine wine shops and explore the cool-climate excellence of the Durbanville Hills winemaking team.