Last night’s weekly RECM Best Value tasting of red blends at the Pendock Wine Gallery @ Taj turned into something of a medical convention given the number of American doctors staying at the Taj who joined the tasting. So it was quite appropriate that the best rated wine was owned by an American: Charles Banks. We usually feature the top six wines but as we had nearly 60 entries, we present the Top Ten:

Mulderbosch Faithful Hound 2012 score 16.40 price R130.00 value R282.50
Saam Mountain The Heldersig Shiraz/Viognier 2013 score 16.10 price R75.00 value R270.61
Boplaas Gamka 2012 score 16.10 price R175.00 value R270.61
Nederburg The Brewmaster 2010 score 16.00 price R130.00 value R239.16
De Wetshof Michael Thibault 2010 score 16.00 price R265.00 value R239.16
Landskroon Paul de Villiers Reserve 2011 score 15.90 price R85.00 value R201.33
Marvelous Blue 2013 score 15.90 price R95.00 value R201.33
Namaqua Pinotage/Malbec 2012 score 15.80 price R47.25 value R168.33
Perdeberg The Dryland Collection Joseph’s Legacy 2012 score 15.80 price R86.00 value R168.33
Alvi’s Drift Drift Fusion 2011 score 15.70 price R110.00 value R137.69

Waving the RECM Best Value wand, other brands bubble up to the surface

Slanghoek Camerca 2012 score 15.70 price R33.00 value R137.69
Saam Mountain The Heldersig Shiraz/Viognier 2013 score 16.10 price R75.00 value R270.61
Namaqua Pinotage/Malbec 2012 score 15.80 price R47.25 value R168.33
Landskroon Paul de Villiers Reserve 2011 score 15.90 price R85.00 value R201.33
Delheim Cabernet Sauvignon Shiraz 2013 score 15.60 price R53.00 value R123.04
Zandvliet My Best Friend Cape Red 2011 score 15.40 price R43.00 value R99.56
Mulderbosch Faithful Hound 2012 score 16.40 price R130.00 value R282.50
Perdeberg Winery Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot 2013 score 15.30 price R42.00 value R89.11
Marvelous Blue 2013 score 15.90 price R95.00 value R201.33
Van Loveren Cramond 2013 score 15.10 price R41.00 value R84.42

with five brands both top scorers and best value. Although if you’re an American doctor, even the priciest wine is probably excellent value, such is the financial reality of the exchange rate between Dollar and Randela. But the challenge is to get even more American doctors to try and hopefully buy, SA wine. And tastings such as these are surely the way forward.