Christmas is a time for lists, so on cue the Financial Time’s wine maven, Jancis Robinson, has unveiled her top 75 whites for 2009 from the near 10 000 sips she takes annually. WOSA (Wines of SA, the exporters’ association), will be well pleased with her 9 mentions (10 if you count multiple vintages of Palladius), including 4 from the Swartland, made by that trio of Swartland surfers Adi Badenhorst, Chris Mullineux and Eben Sadie. Called ACE, the trio are the Paardeberg’s equivalent of the Douro Boys without the PR machine. Callie Louw, who made the 2008 vintage TMV white, is now also a Swartland surfer working for Marc Kent, described by Dylan Thomas as “the force that through the green fuse drives the flower” as evident in his Porcupine Ride Sauvignon Blanc 2009.

Adi, Eben and Callie

Only one wine from Stellenbosch and that from the Schapenberg with its face resolutely turned from the former heart of SA wine quality, gazing out towards Antarctica and the disappearing ice sheets of the great southern ocean.

Jancis’ jewels:

Sadie Family, Palladius 2007/8 Swartland, score out of 20: 17.5 Drink 2010-15

Both vintages of this are exceptional. Full, lively and tangy with almost bitter-lemon-like zing. Seems packed with the scent of wild flowers. Racy yet rich. Still quite youthful. Should develop into something pretty exciting. 14.5%
About £32 Caviste, Butlers Wine Cellar, Berry Bros

A A Badenhorst, Secateurs Chenin Blanc 2009 Swartland 17 Drink 2009-11

A fabulous Cape bargain. Very fresh, floral and honeyed with masses of intensity and flavour (presumably because of the age of the vines) but with a satisfyingly dry finish.14%
£8.99 Handford

Paul Cluver Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Elgin 17 Drink 2009-10

Screwcap. Citrus and nettles and finely floral from one of South Africa’s coolest regions. Crisp, dry, fresh and fragrantly long. Intense but still subtle. 13.5%
£10.99 Majestic (2 for £7.99 each)

Tulbagh Mountain Vineyards, TMV White 2008 Coastal Region 17 Drink 2010-12

Subtle, dense and really exciting. Honey, depth and still a little bit of astringency.
£13.49 Uncorked, Peter Ballantyne

Mullineux, White 2008 Swartland 17 Drink 2009-12

Extremely tangy but deep and satisfying and wild. Very special wine. Firm and bone dry with lots of honey and interest tucked in there. Exceptional. New South African producer to watch.13.5%
£13.50 Hand Picked Burgundy, Jeroboams, Berry Bros, Swig

Sequillo 2007 Swartland 17 Drink 2009-14

Pale honey colour. Tang and life and energy. The sort of wine that inspires you to think of food matches. Really serious. Great value. 14%
£15.50 Wine Society

Waterkloof Sauvignon Blanc 2008 Stellenbosch 17 Drink 2009-12

A third of this wine from British wine merchant Paul Boutinot’s Cape operation was aged in old demi-muids and this is certainly a very, very distinctive style of Sauvignon – quite funky and dense and for the long haul. More complex than Marlborough. Very juicy and very racy. Really very fine. 14% The Circumstance Chenin Blanc 2008 in the same range is also very good.
£15.95 Amps Fine Wines

Diemersdal Estate Chardonnay 2008 Durbanville 16.5 Drink 2009-11

Leesy correct nose – just a whisper away from white burgundy. Just very very slightly sweeter but lots and lots to chew on. Great value.
£8.95 Jeroboams

Porcupine Ridge Sauvignon Blanc 2009 Western Cape 16 Drink 2009-19

Big, beefy, dry, meaty. Good stuff from Malmesbury, Wellington, Robertson and Franschhoek in South Africa. 12.5%
£6.99 Sainsbury’s 504 stores

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