At 5pm today the corks come out and the screw caps unfurl on three dozen red niche wines at the public offering of our weekly blind RECM best value tastings. And Calitzdorp rocks.

Landskroon Cinsaut 2012 Price R35.00 Value R127.11 Score 15.50
Baleia Bay Pinot Noir 2012 Price R60.00 Value R190.45 Score 16.00
Nederburg Winemaker’s Reserve Grenache 2012 Price R74.95 Value R198.04 Score 16.00
De Krans Touriga Naçional 2012 Price R55.00 Value R134.97 Score 15.50
De Krans Touriga Naçional 2010 Price R55.00 Value R120.34 Score 15.40
De Krans Tinta Barocca 2012 Price R50.00 Value R105.09 Score 15.20

The wines of Boets Nel comprise half of our top six and sell for less than half what they’re worth in terms of quality. It’s pleasing to see Nederburg in the list as this month the wines of Razvan Macici comprise the exhibition of our sister Pendock Wine Gallery @ Taj. Newcomer Baleia Bay makes a big splash while the top spot goes to Landskroon with a Cinsaut, the forgotten red cultivar of SA that was the backbone of such stunnas as the Rustenberg Dry Red before fashions and bowties changed and the vines were grubbed up.

On quality terms alone, the top six are

Baleia Bay Pinot Noir 2012 Price R60.00 Value R190.45 Score 16.00
Nederburg Winemaker’s Reserve Grenache 2012 Price R74.95 Value R198.04 Score 16.00
Oldenburg Cabernet Franc 2011 Price R200.00 Value R178.77 Score 15.90
Diemersfontein Carpe Diem Malbec 2009 Price R145.00 Value R165.53 Score 15.80
Bersig Touriga Naçional 2011 Price R90.00 Value R153.12 Score 15.70
Mellasat Tempranillo 2011 Price R150.00 Value R143.72 Score 15.60

with the Oldenburg Cabernet Franc confirming Banghoek as the G Spot for this sexy cultivar. The joint top scoring wine is a Pinot Noir for R60 which is a cold breeze indeed for producers in the pricey Hemel en Aarde Valley. Have they at last run out of road?