The Old Diocesan Issue 13 - Magazine - Page 78
WINE
ATKIN ACCOLADES
The annual South Africa Special Report by
Tim Atkin MW is sometimes controversial
and always filled with OD winemakers – and,
more recently, a consumer-insights specialist
Every September marks the
release of Tim Atkin MW’s South
Africa Special Report, which does
a valuable job of shining a spotlight
on South African wines and bringing
international attention to the quality
of our industry. Atkin interviews a
remarkable number of wine industry
players each year, and this year, for
the report’s 14th edition, he hit up
James Downes (1990W) of Shannon
Vineyards for his viticultural wisdom
and Brandon de Kock (1986K) for
his consumer insights.
Most importantly, the Master
of Wine’s love affair with OD wines
continues in 2026, as many familiar
names pop up in his Wine of the
Year categories – those releases
with a score of 95+ points.
Gary Jordan’s (1978G) Jordan
Wine Estate has had a successful
year, with the 2022 Sophia Bordeaux
blend scoring very highly at 98, the
2025 Timepiece OVP Sauvignon
Blanc scoring 95, and the 2025 Dry
Rosé being named Value Rosé of the
Year. More interestingly, for those of
us curious about unusual varietals,
Jordan is one of only a handful of
local wine producers to grow
Assyrtiko grapes – white Greek
grapes indigenous to the island of
Santorini. Having pioneered South
African Assyrtiko by planting the
country’s first mother block of this
ancient grape in Stellenbosch in 2019,
Gary is now reaping the benefits –
the 2025 vintage also scored 95.
Another OD with a lot to celebrate
is Alex Starey (1997W): the 2021
vintages of Keermont Single Vineyard
Series Steepside Syrah and Single
Vineyard Series Topside Syrah
scored 96 and 97, respectively,
while the 2024 Fleurfontein scored
95. Keermont is also one of two
OD-related wine producers on
Atkin’s First Growth classification.
The other is Alheit Vineyards.
And speaking of Chris Alheit
(1999O), and his rather obvious
inability to make an average
white wine, the report is littered
with his latest vintages. The 2025
Cartology white blend scored 96;
the 2025 Monument Semillon, 2025
Fire By Night Chenin Blanc and 2025
Nautical Dawn Chenin Blanc each
scored 97; and the 2025 Magnetic
North Chenin Blanc, 98. But the
star of this year’s show is the 2025
Huilkrans Chenin Blanc, which was
awarded 99 points and the title
of Overall White Wine of the Year
– a title Chris is used to; you may
remember Atkin’s 2025 Special
Report awarded 100 points to
the 2024 Magnetic North.
Other OD-related wines deserving
of mention are David Trafford’s
(1981W) 2023 De Trafford Belfield
Bordeaux blend and 2022 Straw Wine
(95 points each); Pierre du Preez’s
(1987W) 2025 Beau Constantia Pierre
Bordeaux blend of Sauvignon Blanc
and Semillon (also 95 points); Mike
Ratcliffe’s (1990W) 2023 vintages of
Vilafonté Series C and Series M (96
points each); James Downes’s 2022
Shannon Black Merlot (95 points);
Anthony Hamilton-Russell’s (1979F)
2025 Hamilton Russell Pinot Noir (96
points); and John Loubser’s (1985F)
2021 Silverthorn Jewel Box CC (96
points), from a winemaker who
continues to bring sparkle to our life
year after year.
Congrats to all the winemakers,
and thanks for keeping us hydrated!
