Wine Investment in South Africa - Cape Wine Academy

that firstly there are, ‘very few possible icons’ and secondly that there is a
agreement on what would be the icons’ ( Fridjohn, 2011).
‘lack of
A 2011 survey of industry professionals saw only 30% of respondents prepared to name
iconic SA wines. Figure 5 below shows that some wines drew agreement but that even the
most frequently named ( Kanonkop PS ) received only 16% of the votes. Some respondents
seemed to back Fridjhon’s view of a lack of world vision and what makes an ‘icon’
investment wine, naming their own, unreleased wine in barrel as an icon wine when previous
vintages merited only two or three Platter’s star ratings.
Rustenberg
Peter Barlow
others
Figure 5. SA Icon Wines
Kanonkop Paul
Sauer
De Toren
Sadie Palladius Fusion V
KC Vin de
Constance
Cape
Point
Isliedh
Sadie
Columella
Meerlust
Rubicon
Kanonkop Paul Sauer
KC Vin de Constance
Cape Point Isliedh
Sadie Columella
Meerlust Rubicon
De Toren Fusion V
Sadie Palladius
Rustenberg Peter Barlow
others
Figure 5. SA icon wines survey, 2011
Johann Krige believes that South Africa now has enough top wines to stake a place
amongst the best in the world and Beyers Truter believes there are dozens of SA icon wines
but that most people – especially those in the trade – are ‘too scared to name them’ ( Truter,
2011a Appendix I ). This is reflected in the survey response.
In the early days of the Pinotage Association, Truter tried to get ‘Grand Cru’, ‘2nd Cru’, ‘3rd
Cru’ designations for wines so as to identify for the public the excellence of SA’s best icon
wines. His ideas failed to receive support.
Commenting on the afore mentioned ‘Big Five’ tasting ( page 46 ), wine writer Christian
Eedes agrees with Krige and Truter;
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