These Are The 10 Most Expensive Wine Bottles in South Africa

The history of South African wine can be traced back to a far back as 1969 when the first bottle was produced in Cape Town by Jan van Riebeeck. Over the years, more wine bottles have been created, and several South African wines have been able to make it to the international markets due to their quality.

South Africa is located at the tip of the African continent. It is endowed with a good climate and land topography which puts its wine-producing region in an excellent position to cultivate different types of grapes used for wine production. The beautiful thing about South African wines is that there is something for all classes of people, but in this post, we will be focusing on the top 10 most expensive wine bottles in South Africa.

Some Wine Bottles In South Africa Cost As Much As R8,000

Finding expensive wine bottles in South Africa is not so difficult because there are a lot of high-class winemakers and wineries that are in the business of serving South Africans – and the international market – with some of the best wine products. Expensive wines bottles in South Africa could range from R750 to as high as R8,000. Most wine bottles in the country are that expensive due to the unique features they possess, which makes them better than other cheaper wines. Some of these features include the type of grapes used, the maturation process, the type of flavor, fragrance, and the product’s scarcity.

All of the wine bottles on this list were intentionally produced with the aim of making quality wines that can satisfy consumers and stand the test of time. Due to their prices, they are not sold just anywhere but in top-notch hotels, bars, clubs, and supermarkets. Learn more about the 10 most expensive wine bottles in South Africa below.

Most Expensive Wine Bottles in South Africa

1. 69 Imizuzu – 4G Wine Estate

• Price: R8,354
• Produced By: 4G Wines
• Year: 2014
• Quality Ratings: 96
• Other Facts: Limited available Quantity | Vintage Wine

One of the factors that may have contributed to how expensive the 69 Imizuzu is may be the inspiration behind the wine. Before carefully going through the entire harvest and production process, legendary winemaker Denis Dubourdieu and 4G Wine’s residential South African cellar master teamed up to create ‘First Growth of the Cape’ with the best quality, which was going to set a standard.

During the harvest, they are careful to hand-pick the best quality grapes, and the production process, which takes as much as 18 months, would not stop them from actualizing their goal. After the 69 Imizuzu was produced, the beautiful aroma and memorable taste were proof that a new standard had been set. And a strict rule of just 5105 bottles was put in place. As such, the rarity of this wine may have contributed to its price.

2. The 2014 Cab Franc

• Price: R5,000
• Produced By: Elgin Ridge’s Brian Smith and Luddite Wines’ Niels Verburg
• Year: 2017
• Quality Ratings: 94
• Other Facts: Limited edition in circulation

The idea of creating the 2014 Cab Franc was born in 2013 when highly esteemed winemakers Elgin Ridge’s Brian Smith and Luddite Wines’ Niels Verburg were having a beer and discussing how great Cabinet franc wines are. Suddenly, they became engrossed in the conversation that one of them suggested they should make a Can Franc wine – a suggestion they all agreed to give a go.

From that conversation, these reputable winemakers decided to make the best Cab Franc wine in South Africa and wasted no time in swinging to action. This simple decision would result in the birth of a rare class of wine as four years later, the 2014 Cabinet franc wine became a reality. It was showcased at Marble Restaurant in Johannesburg and at the Ellerman House in Cape Town. To make this wine even more luxurious, only 900 bottles were produced, and a limited number were in circulation.

3. The Black Lion – De Toren Cellar

• Price: R3,245.00
• Produced By: De Toren
• Year: 2019
• Quality Ratings: 90
• Other Facts: 100% Shiraz

Merely looking at the black lion bottle and reading through the text that is written on it, the bold image of the lion and the way the bottle looks would send a signal to you that this wine was not produced for just anybody. De Toren The Black Lion is a complete epitome of luxury as long as expensive wine bottles in South Africa are concerned.

The wine bottle – De Toren The Black Lion – is a 2019 vintage wine that was crafted by the Toren private cellar. The inspiration for this wine was to retain the best of the old while adding something new to produce a deft masterpiece. This wine bottle hails from the 100% Shiraz made in South Africa.

It was crafted in ancient South African soil, and the entire manufacturing process was carefully masterminded by the very best hands. It is best served with a succulent and tenderly grilled steak, and if the De Toren The Black Lion is stored in optimum condition, it can remain drinkable for up to 40 years.

4. Book XVII – De Toren Cellar

• Price: R3,245.00
• Produced By: The Toren Cellar
• Year: 2019
• Quality Ratings: 92
• Other Facts: South Africa’s highest-rated wine ever as rated by the USA publisher – Enthusiast Magazine

De Toren Book XVII is another luxury wine from The Toren cellar. The wine, which is contained in a 750cl bottle, is a 2019 vintage wine made by macerating neutral spirits with blackcurrants (known in some parts as crème de-cassis) with very little sugar, giving it a rich berry flavor.

It also has a fig and fruitcake-scented bouquet that makes the wine scream pure class. Its producers pride themselves in the fact that it is silky smooth and seductive, making it impossible to resist. The De Toren Book XVII is also contained in a superbly designed wine bottle that further enhances the sheer beauty of this product.

Little wonder it has been previously voted as South Africa’s best luxury wine and has also become South Africa’s highest-rated wine ever, as published by the highly esteemed USA publisher, Enthusiast Magazine. And why wouldn’t it attract all these accolades? With all the good things said about this wine bottle, you better believe it is deserving of a spot on the most expensive wine bottles in South Africa.

5. The Echo of G – 4G Wine Estate

• Price: R2,018
• Produced By: 4G Wines
• Year: 2013
• Quality Ratings: 94
• Other Facts: Carefully selected ingredients

This is another wine created by legendary winemaker and 4G Wine’s residential South African cellar master Denis Dubourdieu. Like the 69 Imizuzu, they were intentional about creating a quality wine and gave optimum attention to every production stage. After several months of maturation, the wine turned out just as awesome as they envisaged.

It has this unique taste that seemed to be a perfect blend of all the fruits and ingredients used in its preparation. For a wine that was carefully prepared like this one, you would expect it to be expensive because its producers need to get back value for the value they have provided. It costs just a little above R2,000, which shoots the twine bottle into our list of the most expensive wine bottles in South Africa.

6. Kanonkop Black Label Pinotage 2015

• Price: R2,000
• Produced By: Kanonkop Winery
• Year: 2015
• Quality Ratings: 92
• Other Facts: The wine has a deep purple color

As the name implies, Kanonkrop Black Label was made from Pinotage grapes and is vegan-friendly as animal-based additives were not used in the production process. This wine has a deep purple color and is perfumed with rose petals, cinnamon spice, black cherries, and dark chocolate, so when a glass is poured out before you, you can’t resist the rich flavor.

This wine contains phytochemicals like tannins which makes it good for the health if taken in moderate quantity.  Black Label has a 92 points rating at Christian Eedes, 96 points from Tim Atkin MW, 4.5 stars from Platter’s Guide, and 94 points from Neal Martin. You can order this wine directly from the Kanonkop website.

7. MR de Compostella 2015 – Mvemve Raats 

• Price: R1,150
• Produced By: Mvemve (the M) and Bruwer Raats (the R)
• Year: 2015
• Quality Ratings: 93
• Other Facts: It was inspired by the desire to create the best-ever vintage wine.

Mvermver Raats wine was created by the coming together of two great minds in the South African wine industry – Mzokona Mvemve (the M) and Bruwer Raats (the R). These two friends were driven with the passion of creating a world-class quality wine that would be ever vintage. To make this, they cultivated five Bordeaux varieties, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec, and Cabinet franc. All of these were cultivated in the best soil around.

After harvest, the production process began, and different sample wines were produced for each component and presented for wine tasting. In their desire for excellence, any wine that did not meet up to 90 points was eliminated from the trial until the final wine was selected and components were selected and put together to form the ultimate product – MR de Compostella in 2015. Over the years, the wine has been consistent in quality.

8. Columella 2015 – Sadie Family

• Price: R970
• Produced By: Private Cellar of the Sadie Family
• Year: 2015
• Quality Ratings: 93
• Other Facts: Contains 14.1% alcohol

Columella 2015 is a South African vintage wine created by the Sadie Family Columella cellar. This wine was produced with five different types of grapes – Syrah, Mourvèdre, Grenache, Carignan, and Cinsault – and contains 14.1% alcohol. It is reviewed as a great vintage that is no different in the Swartland wine regions.

This wine bottle is one of the early fruit-forward wines and one of the first drinkable vintage wines. The taste of each unique fruit flavor is rightly represented in the taste of this wine. Despite being a 2015 brand, it has remained one of the most expensive and best wines in South Africa. It is certainly one to try out when having a glass of drink with your friends who share a passion for luxury.

9. Spier Frans K Smit

• Price: R955
• Produced By: Frans Smit and his wine-making team
• Year: 2017
• Quality Ratings: 91
• Other Facts: Contains Tannins

This wine was produced by Frans Smit and his team. They put together their wine-making expertise and history to select the best grape species, soil, harvest time, production technique, flavors, and perfume to come up with this beautiful blend of flavored and packaged wine, absolutely deserving of its price and place among the most expensive wine bottles in South Africa.

The wine – Frans K Smit Spier – can be taken with citrus, lemongrass, or whole steamed lobster with butter sauce. Franc K Smit has a clean line of freshness, balanced acidity, and alluring complexity. It also contains phytochemicals like tannin, which puts it in a position to provide some health benefits to the consumer.

10. 2020 Mev. Kirsten – Sadie Family

• Price: R920
• Produced By: Private Cellar of the Sadie Family
• Year: 2020
• Quality Ratings: 97
• Other Facts: Contains 13.5% alcohol

The packaging of the Mev Kristen 2020 wine is a full display of luxury. The well-fitted gold cork and the beautifully designed bottle make the wine irresistible from a first glance. And if you finally have a taste, you will be convinced why it has made it to our list of most expensive wine bottles in South Africa.

This wine is 13.5% alcoholic and has an aging duration of 12 months. The spicy and tropical aroma of the apple-flavored wine is another irresistible factor. The inspiration behind this wine is not available, but whatever the cellar had in mind undoubtedly resulted in a classy product.