A proud moment for Kleine Zalze as Cellarmaster RJ Botha and Winemaker Carla van Wyk received our two Top 10 awards at the winemag.co.za presentation.
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 put in a strong showing in the Cabernet Sauvignon Report, securing a Top 10 placing with a score of 94pts. On the Chardonnay front, Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2025 also found it among the leaders in this year’s report, garnering a commendable 93pts.
Discussing the Kleine Zalze Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, the winemag.co.za judging panel said of the wine: “Remarkably fragrant with notes of cassis, violets, earth, pencil shavings and oak spice. Full, but balanced with good fruit concentration, fresh acidity and fine, tightly knit tannins. Well structured with a persistent finish.”
Of the Top 10 placed Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chardonnay, the panel said: “Lemon, orange, floral perfume, a touch of herbs and some yeasty complexity on the nose. Concentrated fruit, a fine line of acidity providing tension. Poised and elegant.”
RJ Botha, cellarmaster at Kleine Zalze Wines, says these Top 10 placings in the reports on two of South Africa’s strongest varietal categories emphasises Kleine Zalze’s ethos of making wines of diversity and excellence.
“Looking at reports such as these done by winemag, we South African winemakers once again realise how fortunate we are to be able to make top-quality wines from a diverse range of grape varieties, and to see two distinctive, individual wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay made under one roof,” says Botha.
“The reason for this is the incredible terroir of Stellenbosch and the Cape winelands in general which allows a variety of classic grape cultivars to flourish, giving us the opportunity of making a broad range of varietal wines, each expressing individual nuances. Our showing in these latest reports aptly illustrates Klein Zalze’s goal of crafting a diverse collection of fine wines from various grape varieties sourced from selected terroir sites in Stellenbosch and other parts of the Cape winelands.”
Kleine Zalze Family Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2022 was made from grapes grown on selected vineyards in various regions of Stellenbosch and was aged for 22 months in 500l French oak barrels, 80% of which were new. Stellenbosch fruit also dominated in the Kleine Zalze Vineyard Selection Chardonnay 2025, with a marginal component originating from Robertson. The wine was matured in barrel for eight months, a 20% component being new oak.