Both chenin and chardonnay are flowing freely as guests gather to sip some of South Africa’s finest wines. Yet this is not Cape Town, but rather the heart of London, where the annual Best of South Africa tasting, hosted by Master of Wine Tim Atkin in partnership with Private Clients by Old Mutual, has become a highlight on the global wine calendar.
Few international critics have done more to champion South African wine than Tim. Each year, he spends several weeks traversing the Cape Winelands, tasting close to 2 000 wines from more than 250 farms before compiling his eagerly awaited Special South Africa Report, which goes live on 1 September each year. Wines awarded 95 points or higher earn an invitation to pour at the exclusive London showcase.
Tickets to the event are highly sought after, often selling out soon after going live, with waiting lists growing to nearly half the size of the guest list. The glorious glass-tinkling affair is a celebration of South African wine and its well-deserved place among the world’s most respected wine regions. As Carolyn Martin of Creation Wines was overheard telling guests over a sip of pinot noir, “We have much to celebrate: the world’s oldest geology, paired with our young energy”.
Here, Tim shares his passion for South African wine, the vintages currently exciting him most, and why the country continues to captivate wine lovers around the world.
In conversation with Tim Atkin
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO PROMOTE SOUTH AFRICAN WINES ON THE GLOBAL STAGE?
I first visited South Africa in 1990 and started writing reports in 2013. I simply fell in love with the wines from the start. But it’s not just the wines – it’s the place and the people. I’ve been doing these tastings in London for two years, and before that for six years in the Cape. It’s been a love of the wines and a love of the country.
CAN YOU GIVE US A TEASER FROM YOUR NEXT REPORT? ANY INSIGHTS YOU’RE BEGINNING TO GLEAN?
I don’t want to give too much away, but I think 2021 is a really special vintage, and 2025 is a very good vintage. For 2025, we’re seeing the whites at the moment, not so many reds – but those are pretty exciting too. South Africa has had rainfall; the drought’s over, and the vineyards are looking pretty healthy and I think everyone’s quite excited about the 2025 vintage.
WITH YOUR EXPERIENCE OF SOUTH AFRICA’S RICH VITICULTURAL HERITAGE, WHAT WOULD YOU SAY ARE SOME OF THE REGION’S KEY FEATURES?
Certainly it’s diversity. Even though most of the vineyards are in the Western Cape, it’s an incredibly diverse area. It has some of the oldest soils in the world, a very complex and diverse floral kingdom, and it can make anything – really, any wine style. South Africa has a bit of everything. It’s a very special place to visit – I’m there three times a year, and it feels like my home away from home.
WHAT IS YOUR EXPERIENCE OF WORKING WITH PRIVATE CLIENTS BY OLD MUTUAL?
It’s been absolutely fantastic. They’ve been the sponsor for the last three years, and we’ve worked well together and share many values. They believe in long-term relationships and excellence, and they’re real wine lovers. They truly believe in the wine industry and its future.
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