I´ve been out of the Republic for a week and so escaped being infected by the listitis virus. Everyone is compiling lists of their top wineries/winemakers/wines and then I remembered being asked to join in on the Grape list. I graciously declined but passed the invitation on to the Good Value Guru, arguably the most qualified pundit to pass an opinion as he gets down and dirty, driving around appellations kissing frogs, some of whom turn out to be princes, rather than wating like a frog in a green tracksuit, for passing freebees. So I asked him. His reply below.

All my prejudices show: there are no pinotages and only one shiraz in my reds list. In the first instance there are too many bad pinotages (acetone etc) for it to be considered, and in the second case in my view Shiraz is losing or has lost its way. I am a classicist, not an admirer of over wooded over extracted alcoholic fruit punch flavourant adjusted Shiraz. Pinot Noir did not feature either. If I am going to drink one the top SA, I find they are overpriced and I will drink Burgundy instead.

Again the whites reflect my learning time when the only Chardonnay in SA was from France, and the wood was not a dominant. This also affects my taste in Chenin. I prefer Sauvignon Blanc in general, a few years old from a better vintage.
 
One of my pet hates is that all SA vintages are the same. The inter vintage variations are large, and the area and district variations material. We need to start acknowledging this. When there is an oversupply as there is at present due to economic circumstance, between vintage variations will start to count against us.
 
You will notice some interesting omissions in the twenty wineries: 

R&V who have gone the super extracted route with alcohols that would ensure Sambuca lights, similarly for Ernie Els. Warwick seems to be on a different trip at present. Meerlust has also had a very strange path in the last few vintages. Again the Sadie family wines are following through my tastings a similar path to R&V. Paul Cluver and Tokara just missed out (numbers 21 and 22). Fairview and friends are too disparate and the Malabar could used for a flambé. 

The new kids on the block was who to leave out rather than put in. An operation like Creation was not included because my tastings are not sufficient, as is Edgbaston.
 
I was surprised that you left out the good value side of life!   

Questionnaire

Name: Good Value Guru

Please note that in all cases we are looking for wines and wineries with a bit of track record – let’s say 3 years. So a winery that has produced one or even two brilliant vintages should not qualify as a top 20 producer, nor should the wines themselves qualify in their categories until they have shown a bit of consistency. There is provision below for mentioning new wineries to expect great things from.
1. Name (order irrelevant) the top five wineries in the Cape, in terms of quality. (In alpha order) Buitenverwachting, Kanonkop, Rustenberg, Springfield and Thelema

2. Name (order irrelevant) the next best 15 wineries. This will give a total of the top 20 wineries: Bouchard Finlayson, Cape Point, De Toren, Glen Carlou, Hamilton Russel Vineyards, Jordan, Morgenhof, Morgenster, Neil Ellis, Oak Valley, Overgaauw, Saxenberg, Steenberg, Veenwouden, Vergelegen.

3. Name up to five wineries that you think will probably be VERY strong contenders for a Top 20 placing within a few years. Dombeya (Haskell), Constantia Glen, Mooiplaas, Hermanuspietersfontein, de Grendal.

4. Name the top ten red table wines in the country (track record of three vintages). In no particular order; Buitenverwachting Christine, Overgaauw Tria Corda, Rustenberg John X Merriman, Kanonkop Cabernet, Thelema Cabernet (NOT the MINT!), Morgenhof Estate (formerly le Premiere) Morgenster (the top one), Saxenberg Shiraz Private Collection (NOT the SSS), Veenwoden Classic, Glencarlou Grande Classique.

5. Name the top ten white table wines in the country (track record of three vintages). Springfield Methode Ancienne Chardonnay, Oak Valley white blend, Steenberg Sauvignon Blanc Reserve, Cape Point Sauvignon Blanc, Buitenverwachting Husseysvlei Sauvignon Blanc, Beaumont Hope Marguerite, HRV Chardonnay, Jordan Nine Yards, Hermanuspietersfontein no 7 Sauvignon Blanc, Constantia Uitsig sauvignon Blanc.

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